Two to Tussle

IT MAY take two to tango, but it also takes two to tussle – something homegrown hotshots, Zola Yeye and Trish Difford both know well. Yeye, after his many years on the rugby field, and Difford, with her savvy for finding a seat on any plane going anywhere in the world. But today they are tussling over what they believe is at the heart of Nelson Mandela Bay matters – its icon.

Yeye and Difford are “throwing their two cents worth” in a Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism campaign to find a single icon for the city.

“The reason for the tussle? Well, I believe the people of Nelson Mandela Bay are its icon, but Zola over here believes that the icon should be Dan Qeqe stadium, the home of black rugby and township life,” said Difford Port Elizabeth's self-proclaimed original “travel entrepreneur”.

“But I guess the two could work together – after all the best thing about this town is that we have a huge racial mix making every effort to work together in all spheres of life.” 

“In Nelson Mandela Bay, you meet real people in real places, not false people in fake places – that’s why I love it here.”

Dan Qeqe stadium is one of those real places with real people and real memories, believes Yeye.

“I spent most of my life playing sports as a political activity at the Dan Qeqe stadium and that’s why I believe it is a Nelson Mandela Bay icon, both for personal reasons and for the people in the township area surrounding it who have come to the stadium for many important moments in their lives from sports to funerals, riots to political rallies,” said Yeye, SABC Eastern Cape Regional Manager and former Springbok team manager.

“It may look shabby and dire now, but the memories are still alive – this place gave people hope.

“It is a symbol for black rugby in South Africa, but it is so much more. It has harboured the likes of Brenda Fassie, Lucky Dube, political leaders, sporting heroes and sports-loving people making it a powerful statement and embodiment in so many ways of township life, which in Nelson Mandela Bay is iconic in itself.”

Both believe there are many assets, hidden and obvious to the city, but that collectively the people and places like Dan Qeqe stadium, where people meet, mingle and make friends gives the city its edge.

“I love PE because of its accessibility to everything, but mostly because of its big heart,” added Difford.