Sowetan Reporter
Sowetan Reporter
South Africans apparently love and hate the name Bafana Bafana in equal measure.
Results of a Sowetan survey, run from Thursday to Sunday to gauge the nation's attitude towards the name, show an almost equal split on the issue.
Slightly more than half of the 4803 votes cast, or 50,4percent, said niks, the monicker should stay.
Those who wanted the name changed carried 49,6percent of the vote.
The poll came after President Thabo Mbeki set the cat among the pigeons last Monday, saying the national soccer team's monicker should be scrapped.
"What kind of a name is it? I don't think it is fit for a national team or for the hosts of the 2010 Fifa World Cup," he said.
He also called for the scrapping of the names Banyana Banyana for the women's national soccer team and Amagluglug as the name for the national under-23 soccer team.
The voting took place from Thursday to midnight on Sunday.
Most of the entries, a whopping 4257, were sent online. Of these, 50,06 percent supported Mbeki and 49, 96 percent disagreed.
Of the 430 who voted by SMS, 200, or 46,05percent, agreed with Mbeki. But more than half, or 230, thought the president was out of line.
There were 116 telephonic votes.
Of these a decisive 65,56percent thought Mbeki was barking up the wrong tree.
Bafana Bafana in 50-50 draw
Sowetan Reporter
Sowetan Reporter
South Africans apparently love and hate the name Bafana Bafana in equal measure.
Results of a Sowetan survey, run from Thursday to Sunday to gauge the nation's attitude towards the name, show an almost equal split on the issue.
Slightly more than half of the 4803 votes cast, or 50,4percent, said niks, the monicker should stay.
Those who wanted the name changed carried 49,6percent of the vote.
The poll came after President Thabo Mbeki set the cat among the pigeons last Monday, saying the national soccer team's monicker should be scrapped.
"What kind of a name is it? I don't think it is fit for a national team or for the hosts of the 2010 Fifa World Cup," he said.
He also called for the scrapping of the names Banyana Banyana for the women's national soccer team and Amagluglug as the name for the national under-23 soccer team.
The voting took place from Thursday to midnight on Sunday.
Most of the entries, a whopping 4257, were sent online. Of these, 50,06 percent supported Mbeki and 49, 96 percent disagreed.
Of the 430 who voted by SMS, 200, or 46,05percent, agreed with Mbeki. But more than half, or 230, thought the president was out of line.
There were 116 telephonic votes.
Of these a decisive 65,56percent thought Mbeki was barking up the wrong tree.