CITY Mayor Cllr Mdu Mhlongo has roundly criticised those who sit on both extremes of the Springbok rugby ‘quota system’ divide.
‘The word ‘quota’ is inappropriate and should be banned from usage,’ he told representatives of various sporting federations at the launch of the Mayoral Sports Day on Tuesday.
‘Sport is a very useful tool for nation building if it is used correctly; but it is divisive if used for the wrong purposes.
‘In the past, it was used to segregate and to promote the status of one section of the community, but in 1990 we decided to end the international embargo, and embarked on a process to transform sport in South Africa.
‘History will tell if we succeeded, but from where I sit, we have not, because there is still a stereotype being perpetuated that certain players are selected on quotas, rather than on merit.
‘Can anyone say that someone like Bryan Habana was chosen by quota and not on merit?’
Mhlongo said he disagreed both with the ‘madness’ of the Freedom Front Plus in appealing to the British High Commission to ‘take note of alleged political interference in the selection of the Springboks squad’, as well as ANA (Agency for New Agenda) in taking the SA Rugby Union to court.
Skills and talents
‘But in the City of uMhlathuze we have a different story as we celebrate grass roots development that will bear fruit in all sporting codes,’ said Mhlongo.
‘Sport rewards those who make the effort, and gives them a future.
‘It is not just formal employment that creates jobs – other skills and talents are also a path to success.’
The Mayoral Sports Day takes place at the Veldenvlei complex on 12 September and the City’s ward teams in a variety of sports will compete in two streams:
Stream A – Cluster 1 (Wards 1,2,3,426); Cluster 3 (Wards 9,23,24,25,27,28); Cluster 4 (Wards 10,11,29,30).
Stream B – Cluster 2 (Wards 5,6,7,8); Cluster 5 (Wards 12,13,15,16,17); Cluster 6 (Wards 18,19,20,21,22).
Teams will then be chosen for the District Games on 19 September.
DID YOU KNOW?
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
BBM – 25A0BF5A or 2B7993C8
WhatsApp – 072 069 416
