Transcending the limits of narrow, exclusive identities

I'VE been avoiding conversation about identity.

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The impetus to write about it now was prompted, oddly enough, by radio conversations on the selection of our national soccer team. Most of the Bafana Bafana team to play in the Afcon tournament later this month are from Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, who just happen to be the top two teams in the league right now. There are no players from Kaizer Chiefs, who happen to be my team of choice (for my sins, I also support Manchester United, meaning I haven't had that trophy-winning feeling fora while now). Many Chiefs supporters lamented this, and they called in to express their intention to withdraw their support from the national team, calling it Bafana BaPirates.Club loyalty trumps country allegiance, it seems. The local identity took on far more weight than the national one, and it got me thinking about the debates that will be happening this festive season over a chop and a shot.