Siya Kolisi (captain) of South Africa during the South African national rugby team captains media conference at Pullman Paris Centre Hotel on November 09, 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Steve Haag/Gallo Images)
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation, Beauty Dlulane, has defended racial quotas in South African sport and called Springbok captain Siya Kolisi’s comments on the matter “unfortunate”.
“Transformation in our country has to happen. Quotas in un-transforming sport codes [sic], especially rugby at national level, are a way of enforcing it,” Dlulane said.
“If some sectors resist being part of the new South Africa, as seen in some sporting codes such as rugby and cricket at national level, then the committee supports the use of the quota system. This has no bearing on competence.”
In a comment which has been met with some controversy so far on social media, Dlulane also said sportspeople such as Kolisi should not voice opinions on racial matters.
READ MORE: Mngxitama wants to ‘have a beer’ with ‘brother’ Kolisi
“Their opinions might be interpreted as being insensitive to the realities of our country. South Africa is a diverse nation. Transformation is government policy and will remain so for as long as necessary,” Dlulane said.
Some have reacted critically to this comment.
One user also brought up the fact that Dlulane pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud in 2006.
She was one of 14 ANC MPs fingered for involvement in “travelgate”, a scandal over the abuse of travel vouchers.
She admitted to having illegally received mileage benefits to the tune of R289,000, the highest amount of any of the accused.
This follows Kolisi’s comments that former president Nelson Mandela would not have agreed with the rugby race quotas, which drew widespread criticism on social media.
Speaking to a Japanese news agency, Kolisi said: “I don’t think he [Mandela] would have supported that [quotas], but I don’t know him.
“I would not want to be picked because of my skin colour because that surely would not be good for the team, and the guys around you would know.
“You should not put a number on stuff like that.
“If you want to talk about transformation, you have got to start there (grassroots level).
“Imagine if I had not gone to an English (high) school. I would not have eaten properly, I would not have grown properly.
“Maybe in the Currie Cup (domestic championship) you can try guys out and push people in and see how they do.
“But you cannot just (pick someone in the Springbok side because of his colour). In South Africa it is tough, because we want results and transformation.”
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