GREAT TO BE SOUTH AFRICAN

“GOOD evening, my friend. Congratulations for the World Cup. South Africa deserve it! You are happy, I’m sure.”

I read the text from Walied, a Tunisian colleague of mine, and immediately send back a string of smiling emojis. “Yes, very, very happy,” I reply.

While I can only imagine the feel-good atmosphere back home, courtesy of the Springboks’ World Cup final heroics, it’s a great time to be a South African overseas right now as well.

The 6 000-odd South Africans living in Qatar are walking around as if we are the ones carrying that winner’s medal around our necks.

I realise that I haven’t received any messages from my English colleagues or friends. I’m sure they’ll still arrive.

They probably just need a bit of time to get over their team’s crushing defeat.

My phone keeps buzzing, as messages continue to stream in. I guess South Africans aren’t the only ones who hate losing to the English.

An Aussie neighbour in my compound puts it best: “If we couldn’t win it, we’re just glad the English didn’t either. Well done, mate!”

The victory means a bit more to South Africans than simply putting one over England, given the challenges our country faces.

There was something about the way Rassie Erasmus’s team played, the manner in which Siya Kolisi led them on the field, the tries they scored… oh man, the tries they scored.

The team was magnificent as a whole, but seeing Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe dot down the Boks’ first tries in a World Cup final made my body shake and my eyes water.

And let’s not forget Lukhanyo Am’s wonderfully unselfish contribution to Mapimpi’s try.

Watching the match with my kids made it all the more special. They couldn’t understand the significance to me of Mapimpi, Kolbe and Am being black, and I didn’t try to explain it. There was no need to.

They were seeing black excellence play a major role in delivering the World Cup for South Africa, and they thought it was normal. Which is how it’s supposed to be.

“Since the match is over, can

I take off my Bok T-shirt?” I look at Yaqeen, my 6-year-old son, in surprise and ask why.

“Well, I don’t want to get it dirty. I want to wear it tomorrow to school. Mr Clayton is from England and I want him to see me in it. He’s going to be so sad his team lost. And I’m going to sing ‘South Africa won, South Africa won’. I can’t wait.”

Yep, it’s a good time to be a South African, wherever you are in the world.