Rugby player: ‘Racist post is destroying my career‘

Sandile had starred for the Pumas U/21 team and also played for the Blue Bulls for two years. He now plays for the Middelburg Rugby Club, where he is a respected senior member of the squad.

A number of complaints had already been lodged against Ngwenya at his Middelburg Rugby Club team-management.

The post resurfaced this week, prompting Ngwenya’s coach, Mr Apie Human, to caution him on the negative impact the post has on his rugby and work career. Sandile decided to seek help from the www.mobserver.co.za, in order to clear his name once and for all.

The former learner of Hoërskool Middelburg says that his name was dragged into the mess in a comment thread, appearing on a viral White Genocide propaganda post.

The particular post was shared on the Middelburg Observer Facebook Group by Mr Ruan Heyns this week. He did not respond to www.mobserver.co.za’s call for comment.

Similar graphic posts, depicting the bodies of alleged white genocide victims, also flooded the group, following the controversial Middelburg coffin case last week.

In the thread, Simphiwe Romeo Nxumalo says “That’s why we’ll kill your mothers and grandmothers and rape your wives and children. Boer Bastards!”.

Sandile Ngwenya then comments: “To my fellow Africans next time when we visits these pigs, we must make sure that’s before we take their belongings, we make the likes of Jeremy Morton suffer and make sure their women sucks our d**** en if they have baby child we put them in oven en turn it’s on (sic)”.

Sithembile Sthesh Ntshwanti says: “We’ve only killed 10% of white this year the rate should go up by another 5%….at least 15% per year would do us justice until 2050 (sic)”.

Sandile’s existing profile picture resembles that of the commentator, with two men looking at the camera. “On face value, which is apparently how people weigh social media posts, it resembles my profile, but I would never post anything so divisive,” Sandile told the www.mobserver.co.za. Sandile believes he has been cat-fished, and the victim of a malicious online smear campaign.

Apart from causing trouble with sponsors and suppliers of the rugby club, the post has also caused a stir among clients of Gradco Middelburg, where Sandile is employed as a site supervisor.

“I’ve personally been involved with Sandile’s training since he was a 14-year-old boy, and he’s achieved a lot on the rugby field and athletics track, remaining humble throughout,” Mr Human told www.mobserver.co.za.

“I’ve seen him develop into a well-respected man, both on the sports field and in his job,” Mr Human added.

“Sponsors and suppliers have already been informed about the facts, and those who knows Sandile stand firmly behind him,” Human says, adding that the regurgitation of the old post, “could not have come at a worse time, enveloping the least deserving man”.

“We’ve seen the devastating impact racism has on our society with last week’s coffin case, and the strong revolt against the act,” Mr Human pines.

“When I look at Sandile I have hope for the country, I trust that residents won’t crucify an innocent man, on face value of inflammatory social media posts which have been proven inaccurate and out of character,” Mr Human concluded.