In South Africa, and in most other parts of the world, soccer enjoys a large following.
Yet rugby and cricket are the richest sporting codes in the country.
Businesses prefer to invest in the minority white sporting codes. The more things change the more they remain the same.
Transformation in rugby is in the spotlight again. What’s new? The issue has been with us for the past 21 years. Rest assured, it will be with us for many years to come. Transformation in rugby is stubborn and won’t go away, just like racism.
The pertinent question is: what is the barrier to transformation in rugby?
The answer is simple: rugby bosses are not committed to transformation, though they claim otherwise. They don’t want the status quo to change.
Not long ago, the national rugby coach Heyneke Meyer said he was committed to rugby. Where is the proof to support his bold statement? What has he done to push the transformational agenda? Nothing. So he lied through his teeth when he sung the transformational gospel.
The ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe hold the view that Meyer has taken us backwards transformation wise.
“But Meyer has taken us backwards in terms of transformation. He also is not performing. We lost three Test matches in a row [this year],” said Mantashe.
Now the transformational agenda in rugby sounds like a stuck record, if not boring. We cannot do things the same way for 21 years and expect different results. We have done enough talking; now it’s time to act.
The problem is that the minister of sports Fikile Mbalula treats the issue of transformation in rugby with kid gloves – just like other former sports ministers. Transformation in rugby only will happen when there is a political will to transform the sporting code.
