SA Sports Minister issues statement in wake of on-air race row

The South African Sports Minister has released a statement after former Springbok turned pundit Ashwin Willemse “walked off” live on air after an apparent row erupted relating to the Springbok quota system.

The dramatic scenes caught on camera show Willemse – who is a pundit for SuperSport – storm out of their studio despite being live on air.

Willemse – who won 19 caps for the Springboks – spoke to camera regarding how he was perceived as a ‘quota player’ during his professional career and that he refused to be made fun of before dramatically walking off set.

His grievance appeared to be directed at fellow pundits Nick Mallett and Naas Botha – who he referred to as ‘apartheid era’ players.

“I’ve been in the game for a long time like most of us here. As a player, I’ve been called a quota for a long time and I’ve worked very hard to earn the respect I have now. I’m not going to sit here and be patronised by these two individuals (Mallett and Botha) who played their rugby during the apartheid era, a segregated era.”

SuperSport are investigating the matter.

SuperSport views this incident in a serious light – we will conduct a full investigation and interview all relevant individuals.

— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) May 19, 2018

Now Minister of Sport and Recreation, Tokozile Xasa, has rowed in behind Willemse, stating: “It is clear that Ashwin Willemse was referred as a quota player by his fellow panelists despite his many successes in the field of play, I call upon SuperSport to suspend the two panelists while they are busy with full investigation.”

“The continued appearance of Mallet and Botha will be seen as an endorsement of their alleged racist behavior.”

Former South African players have also voiced their views on the incident on Twitter, including Gio Aplon and Tonderai Chavanga.

I believe all @Ashwinwillemse wanted was to be treated fairly and equally by his counterparts,nothing more,nothing less..and for standing up for that I salute him..#wasntaboutrace

— Gio Aplon (@1GioAplon) May 20, 2018

Ashwin Willemse is an upstanding role model. People must not jump to conclusions before knowing why he reacted the way he did.

— Tonderai Chavhanga (@tchavhanga) May 19, 2018

The South African Department of Sport are enforcing regulations that mean that by 2019 50 percent of the Springbok team are required to be players of colour, with 60 percent of those players needing to be ‘black African’.

The controversial system has its critics, both within and outside South Africa.

Willemse played on the wing for South Africa between 2003 and 2007, scoring 5 tries in 19 appearances.

In 2003 he was named SA Rugby Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and the Players’ Player of the Year at the end of that season – despite only turning 22 a few months earlier.

The Springbok website describe him as “a tough a teak winger with a lot of speed to burn, a nose for the tryline and great anticipation. He played in two Rugby World Cups and was part of the squad that won the tournament in France in 2007 – his last season in international rugby.”