Komphela slams Aussie ‘racists’
14 Jul 2007
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.”
131 Comments
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15 Jul 2007, 14:42 pm
““Transformation can’t start from the top,†he said”
Then tell me why he has a ‘top’ position!
15 Jul 2007, 14:42 pm
Hallo Tact, Hoe gaan dit?
15 Jul 2007, 14:43 pm
Butane has to understand one thing – expats i.e ex South Africans, who leave their country and become citizens of another country can no longer be called South African expats – they should be called Aussie citizens, not expats.
15 Jul 2007, 14:43 pm
“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.”
What happens if a white man wants your job….is it exclusive for black people?
15 Jul 2007, 14:43 pm
David, go to the west indies section of the cricinfo website and go to player profiles look up Franklyn Stephenson’s profile, it still there the article is called “the unforgiven” quite a hectic read what can happen to some sportsmen
15 Jul 2007, 14:44 pm
Now why are there about 1 million Saffas in the UK and 300 000-500 000 Saffas in Australasia againg?
I wonder?
15 Jul 2007, 14:45 pm
““Winning cannot be at the expense of change and transformation. We must not be dying to win when we can’t move forward.”
Running a country well must not be at the expense of change and transformation!
15 Jul 2007, 14:45 pm
Tacitus,
Careful there boet. A university degree does not instantly mean you have intelligence. It is a piece of paper you get at the end of a course if you say and write the correct things that were taught during the course.
Also, university degrees are quite cheap to buy if you can’t be bothered spending 3/4 years studying for one.
15 Jul 2007, 14:46 pm
49# Tact
You can check their CV’s and qualifications on the ParliamentSA site.
Komphela has none, they only list some school in Springfontein under his name. I don’t think it is a university…
15 Jul 2007, 14:48 pm
Komphela….that was just hot air…..go and do something worthwhile for your electorate instead of dabbling in what you have no clue in.
15 Jul 2007, 14:49 pm
nads
It’s sad to here he’s fallen on hard times, he was a nice young guy, who only wanted out of poverty. Thw Windies didn’t pay their players that much.
He was the name I forgot.
He was busy pomping some girl in the changeroom when 2 quick wickets fell and he had go on the field. Let’s just say he had a problem getting his box to fit!
15 Jul 2007, 14:50 pm
wallabie
His electorate is in Springfontein, a sleepy hollow in the the S-Free State. There isn’t even a rugby field there.
15 Jul 2007, 14:51 pm
“For us it is a luta continua [the struggle continues] as far as that is concerned.”
The real reason why Komphela is after rugby administrators is because they are the survivors of the Broederbond. Yes, the same secret racist society that ran SA is now running SA rugby.
15 Jul 2007, 14:51 pm
Uh… isn’t George Gregan black?
15 Jul 2007, 14:53 pm
RedLion
And who are they, those ‘BBs’? Hoskins, Stofile, Koos Basson?
I don’t get it.
15 Jul 2007, 14:53 pm
Quite Clearly this idiot has no idea about rugby or what any sport actually means for that matter. He is using his racist comments to incite racist hate and to gain more exposure with the uneducated and lower classes. He is actually telling lies and making gross allegations with zero substance. How on earth could any serious democratic political party accept their members to try and use such blatant underhand tactics?
15 Jul 2007, 14:56 pm
65 Pietman
They are only pawns.
15 Jul 2007, 14:59 pm
Far more shocking than his lack of rugby knowledge is his lack of understanding of world affairs, international relations, and the rather insignificant place held by the anc on the greater world stage. Your little pond is not the universe, butana…
15 Jul 2007, 14:59 pm
Enough of this twat, we all know he is a fool. Anyone know where I can find the ratings of the players yesterday?
15 Jul 2007, 14:59 pm
Madiba must be shaking his head in disbelief, for all his suffering and noble ideals have come down to this foolishness……
15 Jul 2007, 15:01 pm
67# RedLion
Then who are these people and where?
Or are you also just talking without substance like BK?
15 Jul 2007, 15:04 pm
Goei’emiddag Rooi Leeu, Tact, Piet en almal.
15 Jul 2007, 15:05 pm
Jis Bloubul
Hoesit?
Ek en Rooileeu is hier doenig met die politiek!
15 Jul 2007, 15:12 pm
Pietman
Speaking about pubs (on the other overl;ong thread), I have had the pleasure of becoming good friends with one of the owners of the Aardvark Pub in London. What a stand-up guy. Since arriving in South Africa on a short sabbatical, he has become deeply involved with the organisation Women against Rape (WAR), assisting them with branding, marketing and fundraising.
He is also deeply involved with the Afrikaans music industry, as many SA expats who have attended gigs at Aardvark would know.
We went jorling the other night and I had the pleasure of visiting the Steak and Ale (the oldest pub in Pretoria), where Adrian introduced me to members of the band Beeskraal. We also attended a Klopjag gig and again I had the pleasure of meeting the band.
The amazing thing for me about the Klopjag gig, is that they ended their set (as they always do) with the song “nie langer” (ek sal nie langer jammer se nie).
If I had just heard the song on the radio, I may have dismissed it as another angry anthem. However, actually being there at the gig, the only black person in a room of Afrikaners, I realised that the song was not about anger and bitterness but about hope and a certain sadness that young Afrikaners are apparently not welcome in the new SA.The experience touched me deeply. I believe that this type of real interaction between our people really does go a long away toward promoting understanding.
However, the interesting thing is, is a few days later, and completely unrelated to the Klopjag gig, a Jewish friend pleaded with all South Africans, black and white, never to adopt a “victim” attitude or else we would never move on, innovate and prosper despite the cirfumstancez. Interesting. Given for how many moons they’ve been around, the Jews probably know better than anyone else about persecution and how to propser in spite of it.
I think all of the above shows the need for real dialogue amongst future leaders in this country – black, white, Jewish, Chinese, Christian, Muslim, new atheists – to imagine a new future.
I think together, with our diverse experiences and particular histories (of how to overcome persecution despite structural discrimination; how to prosper in business, etc.) we can really begin to encourage, motivate and assist each other (including political assistance) to become vibrant members of a truly inclusive South Africa. Always the idealist.
Anyway, I’m off, I really don’t want to get back into blogging.
15 Jul 2007, 15:13 pm
71
I rule out no possibilty that they still exist. I may be wrong but I may be right.
15 Jul 2007, 15:16 pm
Who takes Khompela seriously? Really.
Now that I think about it (and no disrespect to the Aussies) but maybe the Mandela Cup might have had more resonance if it were instituted between Ireland (or even France) and South Africa.
After all, the Irish know a little about hostiltiy, oppression and struggle and the Cup might have had more meaning for them as a celebration of fortitude, reconciliation and forgiveness.
The Mandela and Freedom Cups are hollow competitions with little or no no real meaning. The Ashes has more resonance.
15 Jul 2007, 15:17 pm
Stodders, this is LL, got your facebook request, will add you
15 Jul 2007, 15:20 pm
Let’s hope the Aussies don’t respond to this clown. It will only make him a 100% more important than he really is.
Why should it matter what the composition of a team is? It never stopped me from supporting Bafana Bafana. Sport is a business now, not a charity.
He’s in charge of the Portfolio Committee, yet sounded very vague when making references to the Hashim Amla incident. You would think that he would know the exact details of that. I was under the impression that happened when we played Sri Lanka.
15 Jul 2007, 15:25 pm
Wrong thread, but here are my thoughts on cheating in rugby, business or any other competitive arena.
Deliberate cheating, to the extent that it gives a team an advantage over the other, must surely create an ethical dilemma for some opponents, i.e. do I similarly cheat to “level the playing fields” or do i maintain my integrity? For this reason alone I believe that refs should apply the law strictly, whether it be against overzealous thuggish “enforcers” on the field or players prone to gamesmanship.
15 Jul 2007, 15:36 pm
#3 – The Aussies took a stand against racism??? – what a laughable, ridiculous, warped, pathetic, dishonest, assertion – they obviously were trying to deflect their own perversions against the Aborigies – just look in the Aus back-yard to see the worse perversions of human rights since, and before apartheid. Pleeeease!
15 Jul 2007, 15:43 pm
Komphela’s ideas on social engineering reminds me of the Nazis.
After WW1 they also believed in rebuilding Germany and reinforcing the identity of the Aryan race at the expense of all others. The Jews were seen to have too much power and that they were exploiting the Aryans.
A policy of appeasment was adopted (by the international community) when Jews were removed from positions of power (including sports teams).
Everyone thought that if they turned a blind eye everything would quiten down.
Instead after the Olympics in late 30s things just got worse.
Before anyone gets deperately excited, I’m not saying that Komphela wants to send non-blacks to gas chambers. I’m sure he doesn’t But his logic and chip on the shoulder are very similar to those german politicians of the early 1930s.
Instead of trying to make South Africa great he is focussing on a specific ethnic group.
15 Jul 2007, 15:58 pm
Sh*t… This guy is a joke!!!
I really can not understand, how person of his standing can come out and say a ountry is racist for not acknowledging a Cup, it was obvious why the Oz team decided not to pick it up… they felt it was a hollow victory and that it meant nothing… they didn’t care whose name was on the damn thing…
SA will never move on until they drop the whole “you are a rascist” remark… it is used whenever a person of colour is critisized or whenever a white person does anything in relation to a different culture… It is such a powerful comment, “you are a racist” send shivers down peoples spines, fear runs through their veins, and they run and hide, it is the verbal equivelant of a 9mm pistol in South Africa… but when you start swinging that weapon around in the international arena, you better make sure it is for the right reasons… People outside of Southern Africa, do not take to slander very easily… Countries like Oz and the USA who have their own historical demons, and they do not enjoy such comments, especially since they have move forward and beyond their pasts and taken positive steps forward (unlike our politicians). I really hope that Komphela gets into hot water for this and not only from the international community but internally as well… but I seriously doubt it!!!
They should make it illegal for a person to brand another a racist… it would allow many to put forward their critisisms without facing a loaded weapon as a repercussion!
15 Jul 2007, 16:02 pm
Wallaby, and all other Australians- Please desist from commenting on anything to do with racism – until of course, you admit and declare that Aus has a terrible human rights record – as bad as apartheid, and bordering on nazism – referring to your treatment of the Aboriginies. Only then can we have a decent debate.
15 Jul 2007, 16:03 pm
82# Komphela is a rude, uncouth and dumb individual.
We in SA know that, and I hope the Aussies do too.
He is the Mugabe of SA rugby.
15 Jul 2007, 16:05 pm
raven
That’s just stupid man. You sound like BK now.
The Aussies behaviour post-match has nothing to do with apartheid or racism.
They objected to playing our ‘B’ team, rightly or wrongly, and they said so before the time.
15 Jul 2007, 16:09 pm
geez and this guy is in government??
transformation = reverse racism.
thank God I moved to NZ
15 Jul 2007, 16:10 pm
While I don’t necessarily agree with Khomphela’s outburst…
I did find the Aussie’s attitude with the Mandela Trophy offensive. The morons showed a total lack of understanding of what the Trophy and Mandela represent. A little class and respect costs nothing and goes a long way…
And… before you Aussie’s get on your high horses… you DO have a racist past. Aborigines were hunted for sport in your early days and even today are kept in little better than reservations and plied with cheap alcohol.
Hell… even your Bush-wannabe Howard was addressing that very issue not more than a week ago… you should read more than the sports pages in your own press…
15 Jul 2007, 16:44 pm
Khompela so reminds me of Tackler – opposite sides of the same coin. Neither lets the facts or context get in the way of the boulders on their shoulders.
GOSH! I wonder if they’re related…after all, South Africans are more intertwined than many would admit….
15 Jul 2007, 16:48 pm
Hey Pietman! – I regard myself as an intelligent human being – work out the context of my remarks before branding me stupid! OK – Let me help you – I was referring to Wallaby’s remark that Australia were somehow lily-white opponents of apartheid – Get the joke??
15 Jul 2007, 17:05 pm
Komphela as long as YOU and the ANC see colour as an issue this country will be doomed.
Then surely if you say that “winning at the expense of transformation” is a a wrong attitude….so too must governing and being INCOMPETENT in your role as chairman for Portfolio Committee on Sport.
Go anywhere in the the world where we have modern and COMPETENT administrations and SUCCESSFUL organisations…those running it are chosen on MERIT,COMPETENCE and good ORGANISATIONAL skills….and NEVER as a result of fast tracking its citizens into top positions because of skin colour the likes of which the ANC is a chief instigator.
15 Jul 2007, 17:28 pm
A fish rots from the head Komphela….time to clear out…..as YOU and the ANC have failed to pump in money or find the means to do so to encourage rugby in the townships and other poorer communities ! YOU reap what you sow and the results we have today are your and your organisations own doing.
Another blogger Pietman wrote that R174000 was made available for rugby to encourage its establishment in townships and less privileged communities…..thats peanuts in todays money !
New Zealand just made if i stand correct NZD 4.6 million just on the construction of a huge rugby ball-like structure to be erected near the Eiffel Tower in Paris to promote New Zealand rugby,its history and tourism….
What has the ANC done in its time in Goverment ?
15 Jul 2007, 17:44 pm
Komphela like so many others is just floating in the gravy and having a good time.
Where I am (ME) I have to keep explaing to others that the jokes they see on TV are not really those in control of things that actually matter. For instance we always see ‘Government officials’ explaining that the next FWC will actually take place in SA and things like completion of stadiums will be done on time because, unlike the black jokes that are presented as the ones in control of these facilities, that are ‘representives’ of the SA W/C Football are, in fact, not the ones actually responsible for the facilities and that it is white engineers who actually do know what they are doing.
There are differences between what the ANC wants the world to believe and actual reality of getting something done in SA.
Whether the ANC like it or not, this brings relief to those for whom football means something.
Guess that the rest of the world, outside of the ANC’s buddies like Mugabe, see ‘black empowerment’ as what it is – a means of self enrichment at the expense of the masses.
It’s about time the rest of the world again started isolating SA sports because of racist interference.
Think it’s the only way that one could eventually get the ANC and its’ cohorts to understand that racism can be attributed to blacks as well.
Sure it would be painful in the short term but when dealing with mentality at this level one has to resort to Pavlovian conditioning.
15 Jul 2007, 18:02 pm
Spot on OCO !
15 Jul 2007, 18:44 pm
Rumplestilskin # 74
Great post. Good medicine.
15 Jul 2007, 19:14 pm
here’s Campo’s take…
“But look, for instance, at what happened on the weekend with the Nelson Mandela Plate. After the game there was a big hoo-hah about it. I thought it was a bit silly the way the Australians carried on,…”
15 Jul 2007, 21:22 pm
so the race card gets played yet again, but this time across international boundaries.
I really hope the aussies make a big fuss over these allegations of racism and demand a full and public apology.
15 Jul 2007, 21:29 pm
The Bill
U’re a muppet…
Aus were one of the most vocal supporters of sanctions against SA during apartheid! Yes they may be racist anyway, but their track record holds no reason to believe they DONT want the Mandela trophy because they’re racist! This idiot thinks he can get away with calling another country racist and not suffer any consequences…
15 Jul 2007, 21:37 pm
just finished reading the full article on teh sunday times website. He also has a nice go at Kallis for not singing the national anthem aloud at the cricket world cup, saying that “Kallis demonstrates the depth of the hate and racism that exists”.
If I were Kallis I’d be bl0ddy incensed.
Everywhere this guys turns he sees a racist. Even if they are on another continent, they are still racist.
His comments on Trevor Phillips are particularly enlightening. He is effectively saying that the only role for whites in the “new” SA is to transfer their hard earned skills to blacks, and then to humbly submit and prostrate themselves as they watch their jobs be taken.
15 Jul 2007, 21:50 pm
when it comes to test rugby, WINNING IS EVERYTHING!!! Why else play??? If we keep ‘transforming’ our test team we’ll never hold the Mandela plate again.
“Transformation can’t start from the top,â€
“Winning cannot be at the expense of change and transformation”
How’s that for 2 contradictory terms!!!
15 Jul 2007, 23:03 pm
it is clear these politicians do not have the interests of sport in mind. and if their proposed interferance does not materialise we will find ourselves once again under sanctions for all the wrong reasons.
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