South African cricket is not the personal property of the ANC and it is high time that the ANC stopped behaving as if it is, said Democratic Alliance MP Donald Lee on Wednesday.
”The United Cricket Board has taken a decision to scrap quotas in the national squad. The ANC’s response, which was once again on display yesterday at the Portfolio Committee on Sport, is arrogant
and authoritarian,” said Lee.
Lee said that Ruth Bhengu, the Committee Chairperson, is quite wrong to suggest that the UCB should have to inform the ANC’s political sports bosses before making its decisions.
”She is also wrong to suggest that politicians are responsible for ‘protecting the public’ from decisions taken by the UCB. If the public needs protection at all, it is from the ANC’s interference,
bullying and obsession with skin colour.
”The facts are that the UCB has for years vigorously implemented programmes designed to open cricketing opportunities to disadvantaged communities and it continues to pursue these programmes.
”National cricketers, quite correctly, do not wish to be branded ‘quota players’ when they are good enough to be selected on merit.”
Lee said that instead of misusing the UCB’s decision to pursue its totalising ideological agenda, the ANC should mind its own business, while the government should focus on its core responsibilities (that are) generating economic growth, combating crime, combating HIV/Aids and rooting out corruption. – Sapa