Balfour speaks out on rugby racism

The Minister of Sport, Ngconde Balfour, on Tuesday waded into the rugby racism furore, saying he was ”concerned” that because the King inquiry was not a judicial process, things said there could possibly do more harm to South African rugby.

Balfour, answering a question during a media briefing in Parliament, said: ”What we want is to get the truth.”

He said he was aware that ministerial judicial commissions imposed certain statutes and technicalities on, for example, witnesses, which the South African Rugby Football Union-inspired inquiry did not.

However, he believed that ”these people involved in rugby, would have the good understanding that racism in South African sport will not be tolerated”.

He conceded that there might not be enough time in which to conduct the inquiry, which might need to be ”extended” to look at prejudice and racism at all levels of rugby, including club and school levels.

”[We] must have a holistic report, rather than a tip-of-the-iceberg report.”

Asked if he was privy to any prima facie evidence that would indicate that the inquiry was justified, Balfour said he did not know because he was just a ”plaasjapie” and not a legal expert.

Asked if he had considered ”removing” the team from the World Cup, and if this was the case whether he had changed his mind, Balfour laughed and answered: ”Ever since this thing broke I’ve had nightmares about the gelling together of the team,” he said.

He said he prayed like a ”Presbyterian” all the time, and denied ever having considered removing the team from the World Cup tournament, let alone praying for guidance on the matter.

Balfour said it was of paramount importance that the players in the Springbok World Cup squad be given the space and time to ”do battle” and called on all South Africans to support the team, as he himself did.

”We will get to the semis. [It’s] not if … and even beat England along the way,” he said, saying that people should not be surprised if the team even made it to the finals. — Sapa