South African Football Union (Sarfu) executive officer Veleli Ncula confirmed on Wednesday morning that retired judge Edwin King had been approached to conduct an independent investigation into allegations of racism in the Springbok camp.
According to informed sources, the deputy president of the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein, Judge Lex Mpati, is also about to be approached by Sarfu to work with King.
”We had approached judge King and one other eminent judicial person to conduct this investigation and we expect this to be confirmed sometime today,” Ncula told Radio 702 on Wednesday morning.
King was reported in the Afrikaans daily Beeld on Wednesday to having agreed to head ”an independent investigation into alleged prejudice in the Springbok camp”.
This follows the resignation of Springbok communications manager Mark Keohane and a day of meetings between prominent rugby officials following the Geo Cronjé/Quinton Davids ”racism” debacle.
Keohane said in a strongly worded resignation statement that he had handed over a report on the alleged prejudice to SA Rugby MD Rian Oberholzer.
SA Rugby and Sarfu saw his allegations in such a serious light that they decided on an independent investigation.
King, who also led the Hansie Cronjé probe into cricket match-fixing, was approached by Sarfu to lead the investigation on Tuesday.
Oberholzer, responding to Keohane’s resignation, told Beeld: ”It is a pity that his knowledge is lost to Springbok rugby. He said it was important to get to the bottom of the matter.
”However, we should be mindful not to pre-empt the outcome, thereby making the same mistakes that were made with Geo Cronjé.”
Oberholzer said he was crucified in a similar manner (to Cronjé) over his handling of the matter. He decided that Cronjé should leave the national training camp based on discussions with Springbok coach Rudolf Straeuli and team manager Gideon Sam.
”The way in which I was accused and criticised harmed my family. I have already spoken to my lawyers and I am currently considering legal steps against certain parties.”
Presidents of provincial unions who had questions over Oberholzer ahead of Tuesday’s meetings, gave him their full support after the meetings.
Oberholzer explained that their earlier views were based on perceptions. On Tuesday, he said, they had heard the facts.
A Sarfu statement on Tuesday said: ”The board and the executive also reaffirmed their full and unequivocal support for Mr Oberholzer, and dismissed all allegations and criticisms levelled against him via the media, and through other sources.
”The board and executive expressed dismay at the manner in which Mr Oberholzer had been treated by sections of the media and others over the past few days,” the statement concluded.
The initial furore erupted last Thursday when it was reported that Cronje, a white lock from the Bulls, had refused to share a room or bathroom with Quinton Davids, a black lock from Western Province.
Although Cronje was later found not guilty, neither he nor Davids was selected for Straeuli’s World Cup squad announced on Saturday.
Minister of Sport and Recreation Ngconde Balfour described Keohane’s resignation as ”drastic”, but said it could not be dismissed lightly. ”It is, however, important that all South Africans must remain rational and calm in dealing with this issue.
”Keohane’s specific allegation of prejudice within the squad is cause for concern and must be addressed at the highest level. Any allegation of prejudice, more so if it has racial undertones, must never be treated lightly, no matter the source of its origins.
”The report that he has submitted to SA Rugby, should not be viewed as an attempt to undermine rugby or to bring the sport and its leadership into disrepute. Rather, it should be used in conjunction with reports from members of the Springbok management, to address areas of concern in order to bring the focus back to the preparation of our team for the World Cup.
”Now is not the time for recriminations and apportioning blame. Solutions are needed and I wish to call on all stakeholders in rugby and the public to allow the sport the space to tackle problems that might exist.
”We must at all costs prevent polarised positions from taking a hold in rugby and instead concentrate our efforts on finding solutions that will be to the benefit of the sport.” — Sapa