Zuma can learn from Sevens

OVER this past weekend, we watched with pride as our Sevens rugby team won the Cape Town tournament.

The 52 000-strong crowd that were there and the maybe 2 million watching on television cheered them on every step of the way.

It didn’t matter if they were black or white or coloured, they were our team and we supported them wholeheartedly. They proved that they were the best team on the field. But why were they the best team? They were the best team because each person on that team was chosen because they were the best in the country. Each one of them had committed themselves to do everything in their power to win the trophy for South Africa.

They were hungry, determined, fit, skilled and prepared to give 100 percent – and then some more. They played fairly, honestly and within the rules. Most importantly, they were team players and their goal was to do it for South Africa. They did it and made us all proud. That’s how you choose a team. Now, President Jacob Zuma, it’s your turn to lead your team onto the field.

Has each team member been chosen because they are the best in the country?

Do they have the integrity, honesty , reliability, hard-working ethos, experience and desire to see South Africa across the goal line?

If not, you don’t have the best team. You therefore need to make some changes.

Is your team ready to defend our goal line against attacks from all quarters. Our goal line is our constitution, our children, our future, our values and all we hold dear.

If the team members cannot or will not do that then they shouldn’t be in the team.

Is your team ready to attack the opposition/enemy when they try to undermine our country. The enemy we are trying to defeat is corruption, greed, nepotism, self enrichment and all the other evils that are manifest in our society.

Is your team prepared to put their bodies on the line, like our Sevens team did, to ensure that we will triumph? If not, maybe it’s time to bring on the substitutes.

Has the captain of the team determined the best game plan possible to defend our line and repel the enemy?

Is he in the thick of things ensuring that all members of the team are striving for the same goal? Is he giving good advice, making sound decisions and keeping the ultimate goal in sight: that is, a well-governed and prosperous country for all of our people.

If he is not doing that, then maybe we need a new team captain.

The Sevens rugby have given you a road map and guidelines on how to win. All you need to do is follow their example. Pick the best team and follow the game plan. The ball is now on the centre spot. All you have to do is pick it up and run with it, or will you fumble and drop it and allow our try line to be breached?

That is the choice the president and the government now have to make.

If you make the right choice there are millions of spectators that will cheer you on, support you with everything they have and will become your partners in getting South Africa over the try line.

Congratulations and well done to our Sevens team. Will we be able to say the same for our government? Time will tell.