Vuvuzela a unique part of being a SA football fan

The Times Editorial: Our vuvuzela is in big trouble. Within less than a week of the start of the World Cup, it has become Public Enemy No1 as far as many foreign visitors and players are concerned.

There is even a movement to ban the metre-long plastic tube and great debates are being waged on social network sites and web pages.

Players such as Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo hate it, and so does France's Patrice Evra. Evra blames his team's poor performance against Uruguay on the plastic horn. Argentina's Lionel Messi says it makes him feel deaf, and websites complain about the "drone of a thousand bees".

So, should we - for the sake of the visitors who claim they are being tortured - ban the vuvuzela for the duration of the World Cup?

Should we bow to external pressure and leave our "droning bees" at home tomorrow, when Bafana Bafana play Uruguay at Loftus?

During last year's Confederations Cup, the vuvuzela also came in for a drubbing, but they remained throughout the tournament.

Why then should we bow to pressure now?

The vuvuzela is ours, made here on South African soil. Yes, it is noisy and, yes, it is a cheap plastic tube.

But that is exactly what the vuvuzela is all about in the context of South African soccer. It is part of an ordinary soccer fan's experience as he makes his way to a stadium to watch his local team. It is part of the paraphernalia that makes us who we are when we shout in triumph when Orlando Pirates score, or groan with misery when Chiefs miss a goal.

We've pretty much done all we can to make this World Cup the best we can. We've built grand edifices to soccer around the country, we've marshalled our police to protect those who are visiting us.

For goodness sake, leave our humble vuvuzela alone.