‘Mthethwa should stay out of BLM debate,’ says commentator

Senior sports commentator Dumile Mateza says the move by Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa to force South African sport teams or individual players to participate in the ‘Black Lives Matter” (#BLM) movement is unwarranted and out-of-turn.

Mateza was replying to a statement by AfriForum, in which the civil society body criticised Mthethwa for asking the SA Rugby Union to take action against players who failed to kneel down as part of the Black Lives Matter campaign during the Harlequins and Sale Sharks match in England at the weekend.

Players from sports codes worldwide have recently started kneeling before events, in solidarity with the killing of black Americans by police, and as a general call against racism. The action stems from the kneeling of NFL player, Colin Kaepernick, who was ostracised and lost his place in his team due to the action in 2017.

Mateza, a retired veteran multi-sports broadcast journalist, said whether it was cricket or rugby or any sport, Mthethwa should not poke his nose in the matter, because it was an individual choice whether to kneel or not. He said the South African Constitution provided for freedom of association and therefore it is not compulsory for players to kneel before the game.

“It is understandable that the South African players didn’t take the knee in the Harlequins, Sale Sharks match in England. And community group AfriForum is well within its right to object to the Minister’s request for Saru to act against the players,” Mateza said.

“However for AfriForum to liken the Black Lives Matter campaign as a Marxist movement is rather preposterous and way off the mark. It is no different from their own fight for white survival.”

On the other hand, he said, the Minister needed to be cautioned against issuing statements that could be interpreted as instructive. Saru has no jurisdiction over a match that is played under the rules and regulations of the Rugby Union in England.

“There is however a need for broader discussion on objectives and the importance of the Black Lives Matter project,” Mateza said

“There was no law in South Africa saying Black Lives Matter must be observed. We have freedom of association and besides, there is a matter of jurisdiction for players. I think the Minister has been ill-advised on this issue.”

On Wednesday, Afriforum lambasted Mthethwa for his insistence that SA Rugby must investigate and take action against the players who didn’t bend the knee before the game. Eight South African players reportedly remained standing.

AfriForum head of policy and action, Ernst Roets, described the #BLM movement as a “leftist, politically driven movement” and lashed out at Mthethwa’s “dictatorial” call.

“Mthethwa’s request is characteristic of a government that is acting increasingly dictatorial and wants to prescribe to citizens what they must think and how they must act,” Roets said.

He said #BLM drove a strong Marxist agenda, which wasn’t the same as the fight against racism.

“People can make their own choices on how to fight racism. It doesn’t mean people have to support an ideologically charged movement they don’t agree with, in order for them to participate in the struggle against racism,” Roets said.

“The agenda driven by the #BLM movement is aimed at destroying family values, community institutions and the Western culture and history. The leftists currently succeed in getting people to bend the knee by creating the illusion that their viewpoints represent the all-absorbing public opinion, one that everyone should buy into. They succeed in this by using intolerant and intimidating strategies to falsely label anyone who dare think differently from them as racists and villains.

“You don’t have to bend the knee or support the #BLM movement in order to fight racism. It is everyone’s choice and right to make this decision,” Roets said.

ericn@citizen.co.za

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