A SOUTH AFRICAN political party are taking the South African Rugby Union and the Minister of Sport to court this week, in a bid to have them removed from the Rugby World Cup.
The Agency for New Agenda claim that selections for the Springbok are “racially exclusionary” and “should be regarded as an aberration”.
They are seeking an order that would force the South Africa team to hand over their passports, preventing them from competing at the tournament.
Last week head coach Heyneke Meyer named nine non-white players in his squad, after being heavily criticised earlier in the month by a South African trade union for his “racist” team selections. They also claimed that several black players had approached them to vent their anger at the situation.
Edward Mahlomola Mokhoanatse, President of the ANA who are taking the legal action against the South Africa Rugby Union says that white player are receiving preferential treatment in the side.
“The action is a public duty to defend our constitution and to consign to the rubbish bin of history all vestiges and remnants of racial bigotry, racial exclusion and discrimination. Mokhoanatse added he would be asking the North Gauteng high court to establish a judicial commission of inquiry into ‘the lack of transformation in South Africa rugby’.
“Although much has been done to transform the country, the national team’s rugby selection criteria are racially exclusionary and biased in favour of whites. Fikile Mbalula [the sports minister] has failed to transform rugby and any argument SARU presents to justify is failure to do so should be treated with disdain. It has betrayed the trust of millions of South Africans, continues to resist change and should attract the severest sanctions possible.”
The party have also written to World Rugby, demanding that they be suspended.
The matter will be heard in court in Pretoria on Wednesday September 2.
H/T News 24
