Laduma!: soccer, politics and society in South Africa

Abstract

In South Africa, there are times when nothing is more important than soccer (football). Laduma!, is an immensely informative and vital account of the history of the game in South Africa. In explaining how soccer - a sport imported with colonialism - came to be a mainstay of black sporting experience, it explores the Africanisation of the game with the introduction of rituals and magic, and the emergence of distinctive playing styles. Using archival research, interviews, newspaper, and magazine articles, adverts and photos, Laduma! chronicles the impact of indigenous sporting traditions, such as stick fighting, the rise of Orlando Pirates, the emergence of rivals Moroka Swallows, and the power struggles between different football associations and white authorities. Soccer influenced class and generational divisions, shaped masculine identities, and served as a mobilising force for township and political organisations. Laduma! embodies sporting history at its best and will be of interest to ardent soccer fans, as well as more serious scholars of African history.