The face of reason which rebel cricket captain Mike Gatting has used to ease his way around South Africa slipped badly in Bloemfontein
yesterday as he was introduced to a man injured in the unrest that has troubled
the town since the Englishmen arrived. When told that the man had been hurt
while in the township and not outside the ground, Gatting said that the
incident had ”nothing to do with us”.
The injured man, John Segonetco, 25,
accompanied by three Anti-Tour Committee (ATC) delegates, met Gatting on a
balcony above Springbok Park in full view of some 500 demonstrators gathered
below. Segonetco’s back was peppered with marks from shotgun pellets; his left
arm was bandaged and in a sling. ATC representatives claim Segonetco was shot
in Mangaung township on Tuesday while on his way home from demonstrating
outside the stadium.
Gatting’s reaction was extraordinary. As he approached
Segonetco he said quietly: ”Oh dear, poor fellow.” It could have been
either sincere or sarcastic; his subsequent conduct strongly suggested the
latter. ”Mike Gatting, this is what your presence has led to,” said one
of the delegates. ”If this tour was not here our people would not have
been shot. This message is the voice of our people. Go away.”
Gatting
replied: ”Was he hurt out here? What happens in the townships has nothing
to do with us.” He then began to walk off. ”Don’t run away from us,”
said one of the delegates. ”I’m not running away,” said Gatting,
coming back. ”If you did not consider money more important than our lives
you would not have come here,” said one of the delegates. To which Gatting
replied: ”Your people are not funding this tour at all. The government in
no way is funding this trip. The money comes from the people coming here to
watch.” ”We know what goes on in this country,” said one
delegate, before Gatting was ushered away. As he headed for the players’ area
to join his teammates he said: ”He said he was shot on the way from a peaceful
demonstration. That’s bollocks.”
The incident occurred after a small
demonstration outside held the ground after lunch had swelled steadily as a
stream of taxis ferried protesters in from Mangaung township. Although smaller
than the previous day’s effort the ATC said they were well pleased as they had
put most effort and resources into Tuesday and Wednesday’s, demonstrations. The
arrival of the rebel tour in Bloemfontein at the start of the week has sparked
off clashes in the townships close by. Local ATC representatives say more than 90
people have needed treatment. – John Perlman
This article originally appeared in the Weekly Mail.
