TEAM SA MEETING - MESSAGE FROM PAOLO BROGNERI

Greetings, South Africa.

It's a special time on South Africa’s sports calendar. We are a rugby-loving nation, and at the moment, our Springbok team is engaged in defending its World Cup winner's status at the Rugby World Cup that has been played in France.

We won the World Cup three times, and for the first time, we have an opportunity—a real opportunity—to defend that title with a team that is well-oiled and well-gelled.

What a joy it is to see this team, a team that played together four years ago in 2019 under the leadership of Siya Kolisi, a young man who came out of an underprivileged background and rose to prominence as the first African captain of a Springbok team, and he leads it with distinction.

And he leads them again after a miraculous recovery from a knee injury this time around, and it's an absolute joy to see how all these young men of all races, creeds, [and] religions are playing together.

You see the joy of the game, the love for each other that they have, and the brotherhood that exists amongst them.

There is no division as they have one common goal or objective in mind, and in doing that, they are uplifting a nation. Every time we win the World Cup, the nation is uplifted, and what a joy it is to see that momentary joy in a nation.

It's incredible that a sports team can do that.

Now, how much more special would it be if we could lift this nation permanently?

If we bring them joy on a level never known before in this country?

Team SA is a concept that FASA brought about, which encompasses all activist leaders, all activists in human rights movements, activist groups, medical professionals, and legal professionals who are concerned about our freedoms and liberties that have been eroded from us.

The difference between Team SA and the potential that they have to uplift this nation and contribute towards uplifting the nation and the Springbok rugby team is that the Springbok rugby team, if they fail this time around in four years’ time, they get another opportunity.

The reality is that we, as South Africans, may not get another opportunity to rise again. This is our time. The time for us to rise is now.

What makes this country so special is the spirit of Ubuntu that exists in this nation: "We are therefore I am". 

On the surface, a nation of "we before I," but when you look at this country that is so riddled by problems and a history of division and wars, corruption in government, leadership that has gone astray, and a system that is completely crumbling, you wouldn't say that, but at grass-roots level, every South African wants the same thing.

They just want peace with their neighbours; they want to get on with life, and they want to get on with building this nation to be the great nation that we can be. We are one of the richest countries on the African continent, rich in resources, yet we have so much poverty in this country.

What's going wrong, South Africa? What went wrong?

Now I urge you to join us in forging a united South Africa and begin to forge a united South Africa, contributing towards what is happening in South Africa to work together to achieve true freedom and liberty for all of our people. The freedom and liberty which we all deserve on every front.

Join us on Wednesday, 27 September 2023, as we come together and begin to contribute to what is happening in this country.

Let us not be found wanting, and let us not wake up in a future of regrets where we wish we hadn't stood on the sidelines.

Today, well-shaped with the wisdom from yesterday's hardships and troubles, we will have a future free of regrets.

Let us come together in trying to overcome the divisions that have been foisted upon us by outside forces. People who want to see us divided want to see South Africa divided and the African continent divided so that they can rape and plunder these nations.

It's up to you and me to make a difference in this country and on this continent.

Let's begin setting South Africa ablaze, and I don't mean with the physical flames; I'm talking about the flames of a revival in this country.

Let's reignite the spirit of Ubuntu. "We are, therefore I am."

I'll see you on the 27th of September 2023.

Let's not be found wanting. Let's get on to the playing field. Each and every one of us. The future of this country rests in our hands; no one else. 

We will have no one else to blame and no one else to point fingers to if we do not come together and deliver a true rainbow nation, a free country, and a prosperous country for all of us, where we all can live under the South African sun as brothers and sisters. Embracing one common goal and objective is to see a good life for all and a future of hope for our children and grandchildren.

So join us on the 27th of September as we continue to move onwards and upwards towards this objective.

I look forward to seeing you all there. 

Thank you.