Durban disgraced again

In a serious new development, Durban police today (Saturday) again cracked down on local street children, rounding them up and taking them into custody. A ‘Sun’ reporter, filming the round-ups, was himself arrested.

All of this on the day after Durban mayor, Obed Mlaba, spoke to all the SCWC competitors and organizers at the city’s new stadium, promising his support for the event and for the rights of children in the city and beyond.

In fact, Mayor Mlaba even promised the children that he’d get along to this afternoon’s semifinals, but failed to make an appearance.

The children taking part in the event, by contrast, have shown themselves to warm, generous and participative towards each other, despite the lack of any common language (other than football) across the teams.

If only Durban’s authorities could bring themselves to show the same humanity towards their city’s poorest children.