chasing that rainbow status

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By Tristan Holme, Cricket 365

It's now thirteen years since Nelson Mandela was confirmed as South Africa's first black president, but there is still much progress to be made in a country with great potential.

Ten years ago all the talk was of the 'rainbow nation', as a picture was painted of a happy, united South Africa in which race was no longer an issue.

The reality, of course, is that while the country may be developed beyond its neighbours, it still remains a part of Africa where race will always be an issue.

The hangover from apartheid is yet to clear and the inequality in terms of living standards remains a serious thorn in the country's side, with millions still living in squatter camps around major cities.

Meanwhile, fat cats cruise around town in fancy cars - everyone seems to have a BMW making this writer look a real Capetonian hippy chugging along in his so-old-it-has-wing-mirrors-on-the-front-of-the-bonnet Corolla.

Sure, some black businessmen are making a packet and laughing all the way to the bank, but the people that brought the ANC to power are yet to benefit from the shift in power.

Race remains a real issue in this country and that is reflected clearest in sport, where government has made it clear that South Africa's sides must represent the country as a whole as far as the racial make-up goes. Indeed I think sport is the only area where the racial issue is publicly addressed, which is pretty warped huh?

However I have to agree with the transformation efforts to a certain extent as to get citizens behind the side, they need to be able to relate to the players - people in the townships will have nothing but contempt for a team of rich, lily-white cricketers who are supposedly representing them.

Even the disillusionment in English football proves this - supporters aren't willing to pay through the nose to go and watch foreigners 'represent' their local side. There's no connection there.

So what a relief it is to see that South Africa's World Cup squad has been selected with minimum fuss made over the racial composition of the side. It contains seven players of colour, which is rumoured to be the target set by the transformation chiefs many months ago.

This might not represent the overall make-up of South Africa, but at least those selected have made the side on merit as much as colour.

Some may feel that Dale Steyn and Paul Harris are victims of their own skin colour, but I don't think that the Proteas are weakened by their exclusion. Perhaps Roger Telemachus and Robin Peterson snuck in by virtue of being their equals on the cricket field but differing in lineage, but only the selectors know for sure.

This may sound wrong that skin colour can get you into a side, but this is Africa and these issues cannot be avoided - just look at Zimbabwe for a good example of an implosion induced by lack of foresight.

At the end of the day, Cricket South Africa has reached the point where quotas do not affect the side's ability to win the World Cup - it is no longer an either/or scenario.

So while the country as a whole faces an uphill slog to truly become a rainbow nation, at least SA cricket can sit back and be proud that if the boys bring home the World Cup, they have done it for an entire nation and not just a white elite.

And that in itself is progress to be proud of.