Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa (left), seen here with Springbok captain Siya Kolisi after last year's Rugby World Cup victory, says government will speed up the transformation process. Picture: Gallo Images
Mthethwa met with former professional athletes in various codes this week, after a host of elite stars had voiced their support for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, revealing the personal battles they had faced apparently due to institutionalised racism.
Following a backlash from former cricketers and fans, in response to a comment he made on the need to discuss BLM, Proteas fast bowler Lungi Ngidi triggered a reaction from some of the nation’s most recognisable sporting icons.
Retired Proteas cricketers and Springbok rugby players had issued joint statements backing Ngidi, while incumbent Bok captain Siya Kolisi led the call by current sport stars for sweeping changes to be made in an attempt to address the struggle to transform multiple codes across the board.
Though some Bok supporters had since posted videos on social media in which they burned their supporters’ jerseys, criticising athletes and administrators for supporting BLM while apparently ignoring other alleged racial issues including the murder of white farmers, Mthethwa lauded the country’s sporting legends for making a stand.
“I’m so proud of you all. You have demonstrated to us that we still have heroes and heroines who are able to stand up and say ‘enough is enough’,” Mthethwa told the group of retired athletes in a virtual meeting.
He admitted government needed to push for national federations to drive transformation in an attempt to ensure there was equality in SA sport, more than 30 years after unity.
Mthethwa added that they planned to approach the various codes in order to address the shortfalls which had been highlighted in the latest report released by the Eminent Persons Group which monitored transformation in sport.
“We are dealing with injustice and basic human rights,” Mthethwa said.
“It is now clear that this cancer is not just in one sporting code. It is a broader problem, internally and externally.
“Issues of discrimination are issues we are committed to and we will pursue this with all our might to ensure that we get to the bottom of it.
“It is our job as a department to ensure that there is transformation in sport.”
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