African Journalists' South African Sojourn
The football World Cup in South Africa has provided a once in a life time opportunity for soccer fans in the African continent to witness world class action in their own backyard as the 19th edition of the most watched sporting spectacle in the world enthrals spectators and journalists alike.
The tournament is now entering the third week, with the big final less than eight days away. The captivating football has kept visiting journalists from all over the world glued to the action, especially those who are present in the host country to cover the mega event.
Although the tournament has remained a disappointment for the African nations with only Ghana making an impression in the 32-nation extravaganza, journalists from the African continent have tried their best to keep their interest alive in the greatest football competition in the world.
Some of these journalists have been staying in South Africa since the outset of the tournament and have converged to the host country from all over the continent in a bid to get a flavour of some of the best soccer action.
For many of them, it is the highlight of their careers and although they are proud to cover the spectacle, they have to spend a great deal in finding accommodation and transport.
On the other hand, some of them have come up with a great idea of controlling their expenses as they have got accommodation arranged for themselves by sharing spaces with the locals in major cities across South Africa.
One female journalist feels that it is a good idea and a cheaper solution if compared with expensive hotel accommodation.
By living with a group, the female journalist has helped the host family prepare meals, experimenting with different varieties of food, besides bringing a touch of their own delicacies for the locals.
Another journalist hailing from Zambia thinks that it is a great experience and one that they will cherish for a long time.
“We cook, we relax and we chat. We discuss and share about what happened during the day, and we strategise for the next day”, was his opinion.
Meanwhile, it is not accommodation and food that is a major expense for them, transport also presents one of the greatest difficulties as many journalists struggle to move from one point to the other, especially as the games and some of the training sessions are held outside the main city.
Some of the journalists have to take the pain of walking for long distances or paying for costly taxis while some of the lucky ones can hop onto coaches and shuttles.
During matches, the media men are stationed in the media centres, where they are provided with free internet and communication facilities. However, on the flip side, they have to stay hungry for long periods as the food provided in the media box is much more expensive than the food available on roadside cafés or in the city centre.
“The conditions here are really difficult for journalists covering the tournaments, as in all major tournaments. Prices are rising all the time, transport is expensive, the cost of living, food, and accommodation - truly, it's difficult here but we try to go along and finish the month peacefully”, said a journalist from Ivory Coast.
Despite some of these problems, the journalists claim that they are having a lovely time, seeing the biggest sporting spectacle with their own eyes from the comfort of the media boxes. They also love the opportunities that such an occasion provides of gelling together and fostering friendships with journalists from all over the world.
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