The fallout from South Africa's World Cup exit has taken an unexpected turn, with rival African fans piling on the misery. The market of national pride, it seems, has crashed spectacularly. One might say the rand of reputation has been devalued.
Social media platforms are awash with schadenfreude as supporters from Nigeria, Ghana, and elsewhere mock the Springboks' early departure. This is a classic case of capital flight: goodwill invested in the team has been repatriated with interest. For South Africa, the opportunity cost is clear: the loss of soft power on the continental stage.
The bond of collective African solidarity has been downgraded to junk status. As always, the bottom line is that results matter. No amount of fiscal stimulus from the rugby union can paper over this deficit of performance.
