While South Africans are basking in the glory of scoring a whopping 9 for hosting the Fifa World Cup, they are mourning the return of the throngs of visitors for whom they have been putting their best foot forward as local hosts.

The hype of the past month and a half was vibrant and the energy that stemmed from the feeling of belonging just unrivalled. Not many factors have the ability of binding together this country as contained by the power of football and it was becoming to hear common talk on the streets.

When the bad news came, it was a shot of cold water in the face. Not a minute too early though as sections of society are already on their usual bad behaviour. It is an approach that is harmful to the nation and putting us back to where we were before we became a united nation for the shortest span possible.

For a brief period we put behind us the bad of the past and the differences that define us as individuals to stand together as a united front. We had the opportunity to look beyond the restrictions and constraints to take hands and support the boys in the name of nation building.

As hope prevails that crime would not escalate the minute foreign visitors have touched down back home, it seems short-lived. On the evening news we see visuals of the Spaniards and Dutch being welcomed back by a roaring home crowd and President Jacob Zuma has just concluded his 1 Goal summit when schools – the powerhouses of knowledge for any generation - are already being set on fire by frustrated communities. At the same time rumours are flying of xenophobic attacks, necessitating foreign nationals who were taking refuge in South Africa for various reasons to return to their countries. There is talk of a separatist right wing force preparing for a big departure in near future. Despite eternal camouflaged calls for calm, it is a reality we are faced with.

We are bombarded by reports of poor delivery of services by government and the private sector alike, and not every individual is as accommodating as the next when soaring frustration levels reach boiling point. In early morning traffic the pounding of the music from the taxi a few cars back blows your mind and on the way to work you almost get killed by an impatient driver who should not have been in possession of a licence in the first place. On the way home at night you hit potholes that cause costly damage to your car. The time we reaped the benefits of nation building was temporary. If only we could have it back.