Pretoria - Forget the light-heartedness of Football Friday, it's going to be war on Football Tuesday!
Bafana Bafana will be the war cry echoed across the country; the uniform will be green and yellow; the weapon vuvuzelas; and the South African flag the extra artillery.
South Africans are being asked to show their support for the national team like never before on the day that Bafana Bafana clash with France in their final Group A make-or-break encounter in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
And while it is a tough road that lies ahead for the national team, who must beat France comprehensively in order to progress to next round of the soccer World Cup, and hope that Uruguay does the same to Mexico, Bafana Bafana's supporters have not given up on them just yet.
Government departments, companies and ordinary South Africans have pledged their support to Football Tuesday, vowing to stand by the team, regardless of their performance.
Primedia, Southern Sun and the International Marketing Council (IMC) - organisers of the recent Bafana Bafana parade - which saw thousands of South African fans bringing Sandton to a standstill, are the driving force behind Football Tuesday.
They have asked for "each and every South African" to wear their gold and green shirts and wave the South African flag on Tuesday.
"Bafana Bafana, we believe, should be the war cry on Tuesday. Wearing our Bafana jerseys and waving our flags high will send a clear message to our boys that the nation remains loyally behind them," Sophie Masipa, marketing manager of the IMC - South Africa said.
One defeat in 13 matches was no reason for the country to drop its head in shame, the IMC added.
So far, South Africans had responded to Football Tuesday with excitement and enthusiasm, Yusuf Abramajee of Primedia said.
He reminded the nation that South Africans had a proud history of defying the odds and uniting to ensure our heroes did not stand alone.
"It is up to us to ensure that we continue our support for our national team. Sport is about winning and losing but more importantly it's about continuing to unite our nation and keeping the spirit alive," Abramjee said.
He called on fans to support Bafana Bafana regardless of whether they made it through to the next round of the tournament or not.
"The one memory Bafana Bafana will treasure forever is the support the country has shown," Abramjee said.
Southern Sun's head of communications Priya Naidoo urged Bafana fans to paint every corner of the country yellow and green on Tuesday.
She called on the millions of South Africans to wear the yellow and green of the national team with pride, and fly the country's flag high.
