A few years ago a friend and I looked at 4 red wooden letters that, when put together, spelt L.O.V.E.

They were separate from each other so that you could arrange it the way you creatively felt inspired to. We both had different ideas of how to arrange these letters on the shelf and it became clear that everyone had a special way of "spelling" LOVE. Although it is the same 4 letters, you have the freedom to express it, read it, and interpret it in your own way. Love forms an integral part of our being and constitutes of a variety of things. The love of God (Agape), the love between a man and a woman (Eros), the love of our friends, family and our neighbors (Phileo), the love of our planet, the love of our country, and for some, the most important of them all, the love of sport.

The FIFA World Cup 2010 is lurking on the doorstep of South Africa with the entire planet eagerly waiting to witness it. Personally, although a huge sports fan, I am not a keen soccer supporter. In fact, to me it was a nuisance. I was deeply irritated by the fact that my home country was disrupted by road works, that detours would become synonym with everyday traveling, with the height in prices on public transport, food, entertainment (just to mention a few), that my right to travel freely to and from my home to my office would be ripped from me and access passes are now at the order of the day and that I would have to sacrifice 6 DSTV channels to a sport with 11 hooligans a side, kicking the ball to and fro for 90 minutes, ending in a draw (0 – 0). NO GOALS SCORED! Pointless.

After a long, exhausting day, on my way home last week, Hans Strijdom's traffic congestion firmly swung its arms around my car and decided to caress me for 1 hour 12 minutes and 23 seconds. Lividness is an understatement. I was cursing out load, blaming the taxis, the government, soccer and Julius Malema. I raised my eyes to the heavens with the hope of acquiring some sort of comfort and calm. And it was then when I saw the most beautiful, colourful flags, representing an array of countries, fitted to each lamp post, lining the road with awesomeness. Like the first drop of rain to touch the dry, thirsty sand of the Karoo, so was this beautiful sight a quencher for my thirsty soul. I allowed my senses the freedom to wander and revel in the beauty surrounding me. I saw a golden-red sunset gracing the outskirts of Pretoria. I saw the free spirit of a boy dancing to the beat of his heart at the traffic light, using the only form of entertainment he's got access to…himself. I touched his hand whilst awarding his efforts with a R10.00 note, I inhaled his sparkling smile and his satisfied spirit rubbed off on me. I tasted the adrenalin in my mouth. I felt excited!

In that innocent, unexpected moment, I realized how much I loved South Africa… because it has soul and her soul is imbedded in mine, or perhaps mine is imbedded in SA. Honesty, integrity and honour. That is in our blood, that is what makes us love South Africa, that's what makes us love our people, because despite our numbers and despite all of the hardship South Africans have endured, we have always been strong, proud, and unique in a way that makes us stand out as exceptional businessmen, notable sportsmen and hospitable hosts. Nicknamed the Rainbow Nation due to its stark contrasts of landscape, culture, people and fauna and flora, these contrasting aspects meld and mesh into a kaleidoscope of sensory delights offering priceless experiences to our foreign and local guests, rewarding them with unforgettable memories to accompany them throughout their life journey.

Soon we will be sharing our immensely beautiful country and town with hundreds of thousands of tourists. We will have the privilege of sharing in their excitement of the mere thought of being in mysterious Africa. We will share in their discovery that not all African women walk around bare chest (although I'm sure that some South African men will not protest against this), that lions are in the Kruger National Park and not in city centre, that not all South Africans have mastered the art of carrying our laptops on our heads, and that we actually possess the knowledge that an Apple Mac is not a shiny, red fruit.

If you have ever traveled abroad, you would know that nowhere in the world will you find a more hospitable, friendly nation than our own. We return a smile, we do a favour, we greet first, we listen, we are more interested in where you are from than what you do, we laugh, we do the diski dance, we drink our brandy with eish, our young men offer their seats to ladies and are known for their out of this world ability to braai a fillet to perfection (the ladies of SA salute you for this!).

Now that I have mentioned how lucky South African girls are to have access to the worlds best mannered men, I feel compelled to dedicate an entire paragraph to the ladies of South Africa. At a very early age, my grandma told me that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach (with maturity and wisdom, this theory proved to be slightly incorrect). South Africa is blessed with women who can cook a leg of lamb to perfection, who still dish up for the man we love, who is responsible for the clear of the dinner table, allowing our men to catch the action of the last part of the 20/20 cricket match on TV (a note to the men out there; we are thoroughly aware of the fact that at times, you are watching the rerun or highlights. We just pretend to be stupid). To top it off, I feel confident to say that South Africa is home to the most beautiful ladies in the world. Viva Basadi Viva!

Being a proudly South African citizen, I would like to raise a zamalek and propose a toast to the things that make our hearts beat faster:

Here's to the glorious South African sunsets and the great blue African skies. Here's to the rich wildlife and the friendly, happy people. Here's to melktert and koeksusters, mampoer, bobotie, pap, chakalaka, biltong, Castle Lager, amasi, frikkadelle, isidudu, chutney, bunny chow, vetkoek and malva pudding. Here's to a melting pot of cultures, coming together in one home under one roof - Indians, Chinese, Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, Sotho, Tswana, Afrikaans, the San Bushmen and English. Here's to Shaka Zulu, Nelson Mandela, Charlize Theron, Freek Robinson, Riaan Crywagen, Deborah Patta, Natalie du Toit, Oscar Pistorius, The Blue Bulls for winning the Super 14, the man on the street, the bergies and the Cape minstrels. Here's to making da circle bigga, the Green and Gold, brandy and coke, and the makaraba! Here's to the Drakensburg, Table Mountain, the Tsitsikama forests in Knysna, the Garden Route, the warm Indian Ocean intermingling with the cool Atlantic, the dry escarpment of Gauteng and the Great Karoo. Here's to the vuvuzela, the SA anthem, the spirit of the brave heart. Here's to the love of our country, the love of our people, the love of our foreign friends and the love of Soccer. Here's to Bafana Bafana!

And lastly, here's to every different season and landscape contained in one immensely beautiful country.

Nkosi sikele' iAfriKa! Waka Waka (This time for Africa)