/ 31 July 2008

Komphela, Mashishi make up

South Africa’s two leading sports entities resolved a spat over racism on Thursday.

”It was important for us to put this cloud behind us,” said Moss Mashishi, president of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).

At a joint press conference in Johannesburg, National Assembly sports committee chairperson Butana Komphela said he clarified his alleged racist remark in a meeting requested by Mashishi.

Komphela said his comment should be seen in the context of transformation.

”He [Mashishi] understood my point of view around the transformation. I am prepared to work with him. There is no big deal,” said Komphela.

Komphela reportedly said, while referring to the pace of transformation in sport, that Sascoc was ”full of whites and Indians who don’t understand transformation and lack vision”. — Sapa