Naming Boks to be open to all

All South Africans are to have an opportunity next year to give their opinion on the name and emblem of the Springboks, and the other national sports teams.

Gert Coetzee of Die Burger writes that Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhenkesi Stofile said on Wednesday that such a national debate was needed to finally achieve democratic consensus on the issue, after decades of random decisions on the names of sports teams.

Wearing a Springbok cap and a scarf with the various Springbok emblems of the past decades around his neck, Stofile was explaining what he’d meant when he said in an earlier statement in the National Assembly (NA) that there should be “an investigation into how appropriate the names of sports teams were”.

The Cabinet room in Tuynhuys was also filled with projected photographs of the World Cup final.

Added to that were the Springbok flags and ministers in Springbok jerseys, celebrating “a spirit never before seen in the Cabinet”.

National debate

Stofile told Die Burger that there was no decision as yet on the structures that the national debate in 2008 would take.

When asked if this was also the ANC’s point of view on the necessity of such a debate, he said: “It was an opinion that went up from Parliament.”

Stofile said in the National Assembly on Tuesday, that there was a “definite need” for an inquiry into the ways that South African sports team had come by their names.

Names such as Bafana Bafana, Amakrokokroko and Amaglug-glug, which could give offence, should also be investigated.

He confirmed on Wednesday that not only the names of the sports teams would be investigated but also the emblems “arising from those names”.

According to him a democratic (decision-making) process had never been followed in naming the sports teams.

“It’s well known that the Springboks got their name when a journalist wanted to know what they were called, after their first match.”

Photo session

Members of the media were invited to a photo session of ministers, deputy ministers and premiers in Springbok colours during the Cabinet meeting, at which Pali Lehohla, Statistician General of Statistics SA, also handed over the 2007 Community Survey to President Thabo Mbkei.

Some of the Cabinet members arrived wearing their Springbok clothing, and Springbok jerseys were handed out to others when they arrived.

No official questions were permitted to Mbeki or any ministers.

A journalist wanted to know from government spokesperson Themba Maseko if “the minister who formerly rooted for the All Blacks” (Trevor Manuel) had also become a Bok supporter.

Maseko replied: “All ministers now fully support the Springboks. There has never been such a spirit in Cabinet. The Cabinet is grateful for this opportunity to unite.”

Before the ANC policy conference in June this year, ANC MPs had asked that the use of the Springbok emblem should be investigated.

No decision had been taken on the matter, at the time.

Neither SA Rugby nor Parliament could confirm whether the Springboks would include Parliament on their lap of honour around the city.