Komphela slams Aussie ‘racists’
Butana Komphela has described the Wallabies’ reluctance to hold the Mandela Plate as an act of racism and disrespect for South Africa’s former president.
Komphela, the chairman of the parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport answered questions put forward by concerned South Africans in the Sunday Times. One reader queried the Australians’ attitude, and Komphela pulled no punches in slamming their actions.
“Australia has a history of racism,” he said. “If you recall, during the times of the struggle for non-racial sport it was Australia who were pumping apartheid South Africa with rebel tours.
“I was not surprised to see them do what they did. That is the same country where South African expats wave the Vierkleur flag and Indians are called terrorists. Remember when Hashim Amla took that catch [when the Proteas played played Australia]? An Australian commentator said something like ‘another wicket for the terrorist’.
Komphela has featured prominently in the media this year and has come down on the South African Rugby Union for the slow rate of transformation in the sport. He confirmed the process will be an arduous one, but unless the opportunities for non-white players are increased at Currie Cup and Super 14 level, the Springbok side will continue to be predominantley white.
“Transformation can’t start from the top,” he said. “You need to build a solid foundation from the bottom up. Then you target areas that are not transformed, such as administration and coaching. It’s a holistic approach. We have another 15 years to go in pursuit of free sport and non-racism.”
To those supporters who say it doesn’t matter what colour the team is as long as it’s a successful one, Komphela responded by stating this is an unacceptable attitude.
“Winning cannot be at the expense of change and transformation. We must not be dying to win when we can’t move forward. We should be saying we are not going to win for the next five years while we transform so that one day when we do win, we all win as a country, with no black and white issues.”
July 15th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
All I can say about this thread is
BWAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAH
Priceless
July 15th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
this guys rampant and unsubstaniated use of the word racist makes one wonder who actually is prejudiced here.
it seems every white to him is a racist.
July 15th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Jeez I hate this egomaniac racist C@#$%t. He is so ensconsed in his little game of SA politics, that he even tries to pull the racist card on Australia?
THAT BULLSHIT DOES NOT WORK IN THE REAL WORLD YOU IDIOT! ONLY IN THE SHAM WORLD OF SA POLITICS CAN YOU PULL OUT A GET OUT OF JAIL CARD “RACIST” CARD ANYTIME YOU WANT, AND BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
I hope he gets a suitably phrased (a nice subtle one) response from the Aus governmnet telling him to “F#$% off”. I also hope he gets a suitable reprimand from his own superiors, putting him in his place as a lesser politician, who can’t even perform his current functions properly.
He really is an idiot.
July 15th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Just a question from my side:
Arent the black bloggers on this site embarrassed when they read the nonsense Komphela writes? I for one would be if I were black. He is a disgrace, but his mediocricy will continue to be condoned by the banana republic politicians.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:32 am
Pommie, one doesn’t have to be black to be embarrassed; I’m white, but I’m also South African so that makes me embarrassed because Komphela is a member of the government of my country.
Yet his utterances also give me heart, because what he said is such undiluted bullshit that one can only imagine that his “10 blacks per team” statement that has been so hotly debated falls squarely into the same category. Something like Idi Amin’s (and more recently Khadaffi’s) “United States of Africa” pipe dream.
We have clever, capable people in our government. The economy is being very well managed. But we also have blockheads, whose skill sets probably qualify them for nothing more than wielding a shovel in someone’s back yard.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:22 am
What a TWOT!
July 16th, 2007 at 1:29 am
ansie
I agree, the Aussies won’t respond, and probably rightly so.
They would study the whole interview with Komphela and then decide it’s not worth an official reply. Soon the world will know that our chairman of the sport committee is a colourblind old lunatic.
We fortunately have some other politicians of renown, such as Trevor Manual, in the ANC government.
But then we have the likes of Komphela, Dr Manto, Robert the Supercop…..hard to explain their actions when they appear on TV over here, as OCO says in #92.
They are an embarrassment to all decent SA citizens abroad who are trying to proudly represent our nation.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:35 am
Aish, where to start? Suffice to say that the issue re the cup was already addressed in Oz early last week. The guilty parties rapped on the knuckles and an official apology lodged. Kompela missed it all I assume.
The story goes that it was a joke played on Mortlock where the rest of the team decided beforehand they will shy away from taking the trophy leaving Mortlock a little flustered. A little silly and childish if anything but not even close to racist.
They were told to stop their silly games in future and the apology passed on to SARU and SA in general…
The rest of is utterings are not worthwhile commenting on…
July 16th, 2007 at 1:37 am
More Pete, die ou gee mens goor maag so op ‘n Maandag oggend!
July 16th, 2007 at 2:07 am
More Koos
Eintlik moet mens die rassistiese ou p##s ignoreer. Hy herinner my al meer aan Robert Makapie elke slag wat hy sy ou bek rek. Ouens soos hy laat my tweekeer dink om terug te gaan SA toe.
Hoe gaan dit daar? Wat van Saterdag, ek die Ozzies kan wen.
Verder raak jy nou te ver voor op CCbruvvas, ek sal bietjie moet begin spoed aansit!
July 16th, 2007 at 2:10 am
89# raven
Read Koos 110#.
That is the true story, nothing racist about it.
That was what I tried to tell you.
July 16th, 2007 at 2:23 am
Pete, twee weke in ‘n ry bo aan die leer…maar superbru word nie in Julie gewen nie!
Ek weet ek moet nie maar kan jy die berig vir my email, hom gesoek sonder sukses…?
July 16th, 2007 at 2:26 am
PS Where is that court ruling that said calling someone a racist without sufficient proof is racism in itself? Should mail Komphela a copy…
July 16th, 2007 at 2:27 am
Koos
Maak so, ek moet net gou iewers heen. Sal stuur as ek terug is.
July 16th, 2007 at 2:32 am
Thanks Pete….I assume that is in response to #115
July 16th, 2007 at 3:19 am
“The best lack all conviction, the worst are full of passionate intensity… ” W. B Yeats
July 16th, 2007 at 3:25 am
Koos
Ek is terug en het die artikel gepos.
Ontvang jy?
July 16th, 2007 at 4:04 am
Go it…I see from the article all is A OK!!! Hulle gaan pap en wors verkoop by die stadions in 2010…
July 16th, 2007 at 4:23 am
120# Koos
LOL!
Hoe honger raak ek nou…rol aan WB 2010!
Ek kan nie wag vir die amptelike opening van die pappotte nie.
July 16th, 2007 at 4:39 am
Dear Mr Komphela,
I live in Sydney, Australia. I relocated to Australia from Johannesburg. I have never waved the Vierkleur flag and my wife is Australian. I’m neither racist, nor do I trash South Africa. Most South Africans living in Australia have the same mindset. You would be suprised Mr Komphela to find that there is a large expat coloured community living here. Your comments not only smack of severe stupidity and ignorance, but they are downright insulting to Australians.
July 16th, 2007 at 5:08 am
Se hom Seefie!!!!
July 16th, 2007 at 5:10 am
“Amptelike opening van die pappotte” Hehehe dink jy daar is nog kaartjies beskikbaar?
July 16th, 2007 at 5:18 am
Koos
Ek dink ook Kalis moet vir Komphela dagvaar vir naamskending.
Die ou mal ding gaan aan soos Idi Amin destyds.
July 16th, 2007 at 5:26 am
Pete, the Kallis issue was also addressed a very long time ago. From a vague memory it was investigated by Cricket SA and he had a valid reason for not signing it at the time. Everyone was happy but Komphela finds it necessary to fetch this koei agter die bult just to ‘prove a point’, a point only he will know because outside of hatespeech I can’t really see another point…
July 16th, 2007 at 5:41 am
Pietman #109,
Meant to ask whether other SA Expats had to answer for the SA governments doings.
Sick of being asked how the football W/C could be put in the hands of incompetents.
Being told that people would like to visit SA but it’s far too dangerous to go there and one is taking one’s life in one’s hands as soon as you land.
There are a lot of people with a lot of serious money here but they would rather invest in China or India – even Lebanon – than in SA or Africa as a whole
Gets very embarrasing and how long can it be defended!
If one thinks Oz are turning a blind eye to this type of thing – not to mention the rest of the world – just remember they have already said that they are ready to host the FWC when SA fails to deliver on time. Can one blame them for this?
July 16th, 2007 at 6:05 am
OCO
I happened to meet with our ambassador here last Friday.
He says the interest in SA is enormous, so much so that Stofile and the SA vice-president came over recently to look at the manner in which Korea/Japan presented WC 2002 and to meet the local sport administrators and sponsors.
Korean and Asiana Air, for instance, is looking at opening offices in SA soon, for the first time.
Many contracts are being awarded to companies such as Hyundai for the construction of the infra-structure needed for 2010 WC.
So, things are looking good.
But, on the other hand a lot of questions are being asked by ordinary folks about the crime, HIV and ’sport transformation’ issues.
People like Komphela with dictatorial public displays, make it hard for us to keep a straight and honest face when we attempt to defend our homeland against misconceptions.
We are seen as a ‘black’ country, and people sometimes look at me in disbelief at first when I tell them I am South African.
‘Whites’ are seldom shown in SA promotions of the WC on TV.
July 16th, 2007 at 6:14 am
Butane might well be able to kompel Jacques Kallis to warble his anthem, but he has no control over what the Wallabies choose to do with that Mandela hubcap. Or whatever flag other people may want to wave to annoy him and his pals.
Butane is too big for his boots and good on those Wallabies for cutting him down to size.
July 16th, 2007 at 6:57 am
I like this Khompela fellow; he’s got the same basic principals as I have and from the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) school. eg.
Why did the Aussies ignore the trophy? Ans: It’s a racist plot, no transformation.
Why did we lose the test matches/games/cup etc? Ans: It’s a racist plot, no transformation.
Why are we spending money on stadiums, not development, housing etc etc? Ans: It’s a racist plot, no transformation.
Why is SA battling for skills? Ans: It’s a racist plot, no transformation.
Why is crime so high? Ans: It’s a racist plot, no transformation.
Start to get the picture.
July 16th, 2007 at 7:24 am
Tackler,
You are spot on. Butana has no control over what the Wallabies do with the Mandela Hubcap. He is now trying to force the Springboks to call their mascot Stompie. He is also pursuing a new South African sponsor and has his eye on Firestone Tires and Lion Matches. Where can I purchase a Vierkleur?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Ah, that gang of racists, with the ringleader Gregan and his klansmen, Tuqiri, Smith, Blake, Palu, Gerrard, and their old mates Sailor, Paul, and Turinui! C’mon, Australia is the only team in the tri-nations with a dark skinned captain since Umaga quit. The Aussies have an open door policy like us Kiwis. The only thing stopping us all selecting more brown faces are the damn IRB regulations preventing us (well, trying to prevent us) from just grabbing anyone Fijian, Tongan, or Samoan (and South Africans) we want.
July 16th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
This man is even more stupid than I imagined!!!.
Khompela, you cannot stereotype an entire nation for what one wag shouts out at a cricket match. No Australian I know has ever had anything but utmost words of respect for Nelson Mandela, without exception.