South African music, poetry and art are everywhere in Johannesburg, except within a half kilometre of its glittering new soccer stadium.

As the country prepares to launch World Cup celebrations, young people in South Africa are angry at how little opportunity they have to take part, according to CBC correspondent David Gutnick.

The official song Waka Waka is by Columbian Shakira, the official products are made in China and other low-cost countries, and South Africans wonder how this is supposed to represent them, Gutnick said in an interview on CBC Radio One's cultural affairs show Q.

"Young people, they are angry. They say 'It's hard for us to get out of this country, How come we weren't included from the beginning?'"

The anger has crystallized in calls by a local musicians union to boycott the Orlando Stadium concert set to kick off celebrations June 10. The musicians say the concert includes too few local artists.

FIFA called on the Black Eyed Peas, John Legend and Shakira to headline the concert, though pressure from local groups led to an expanded lineup of seven domestic bands. In addition, South African band Freshlyground will perform Waka Waka with Shakira.

"I don't know what they [FIFA] were thinking, because the concert has none of the gritty wonderful texture that you feel walking through the streets of Johannesburg," Gutnick said.

While the official radio station plays Waka Waka, South Africans are listening to Shapa Bafana Shapa, local musician DJ Cleo's song for their own team. About 36 other local musicians participated in creating a double album representing domestic music, which they hope the soccer fans will pick up.

Have to hunt for it

Official soccer merchandise is dominating the area around the stadium, to the exclusion of locally made arts.

"If you want Africa the way it is … not in a box all wrapped in plastic, you're going to have to hunt for it," Gutnick said. "Part of the problem: FIFA decided there would be no unofficial FIFA products within half a kilometre of the stadiums."

Many people make a living with selling goods on the street, and Johannesburg street life comes alive with their lively banter. But FIFA penalties are discouraging this kind of interaction.

"That isn't happening. There's all kinds of demonstrations over it. People just want to make a few dollars from being African," Gutnick said.

Still, that hasn't stopped South Africans from being soccer-mad. They're proud of their hard-won democracy and eager to welcome the world. FIFA, however, is uncomfortable with the grit of local life, which has an admittedly high crime rate.

"It's two universes colliding — there's Planet FIFA and the real universe of what is happening in South Africa," Gutnick said.