RAMSAMY CALLS FOR FLEXIBILTY IN NEGOTIATIONS In a phone call to the SACOS president in the mid-80's, Sam Ramsamy (SANROC in London) called for greater flexibility and accommodation, ostensibly for trade-offs in future negotiations. This was rejected by the President as the black townships became a war zone in open hostile rebellion against police and military repression. The return of South Africa to international sport was seen by Sam Ramsamy as a tradeable commodity that was merely used as a pawn or bargaining chip in the political deal- making. This approach was rejected as unprincipled and against the non-racial liberatory policies of SACOS for the total isolation of racist sport till complete political social and economic equality was achieved. An immediate split resulted as it became clear that the principled struggles of SACOS was to be sacrificed by Ramsamy as a cheap pawn for a negotiated settlement that would allow the re-entry of South Africa into international sport as a trade-off for appeasing ruling class interests. MAJOR ISSUES AT STAKE The apartheid laws were to be abolished, equal political rights to be granted with a new constitution and elections held for a non-racial democracy. But major issues were at stake. Would: (a) we still live in abject poverty with complete dominance by the rich white business? (b) there be the equitable redistribution or control of land? (c) there be the equitable sharing or broad based social utilisation of accumulated wealth that were in the hands of big business? (d) there be the writing off of the country’s huge financial debt? (e) the cheap black labour and the (surplus) migratory labour system be abolished? (f) a modern compulsory free non-racial world-class education system be introduced? (g) it target the abolition of poverty, unemployment and the huge gulf between rich and poor to build an egalitarian society? (h) it guarantee the building of durable quality houses for everybody to eliminate the squatter camps and social degradation? (i) an affordable modern efficient health care and social welfare system be accessible by everybody?
Transcript
RAMSAMY CALLS FOR FLEXIBILTY IN NEGOTIATIONS
In a phone call to the SACOS president in the mid-80's, Sam Ramsamy (SANROC in London) called for greater flexibility and accommodation, ostensibly for trade-offs in
future negotiations. This was rejected by the President as the black townships became
a war zone in open hostile rebellion against police and military repression. The return
of South Africa to international sport was seen by Sam Ramsamy as a tradeable commodity that was merely used as a pawn or bargaining chip in the political deal
making. This approach was rejected as unprincipled and against the non-racial
liberatory policies of SACOS for the total isolation of racist sport till complete
political social and economic equality was achieved. An immediate split resulted as it
became clear that the principled struggles of SACOS was to be sacrificed by
Ramsamy as a cheap pawn for a negotiated settlement that would allow the re-entry of South Africa into international sport as a trade-off for appeasing ruling class
interests.
MAJOR ISSUES AT STAKE
The apartheid laws were to be abolished, equal political rights to be granted with a
new constitution and elections held for a non-racial democracy. But major issues were
at stake. Would:(a) we still live in abject poverty with complete dominance by the rich white business?
(b) there be the equitable redistribution or control of land?
(c) there be the equitable sharing or broad based social utilisation of accumulated
wealth that were in the hands of big business?
(d) there be the writing off of the country’s huge financial debt?
(e) the cheap black labour and the (surplus) migratory labour system be abolished?
(f) a modern compulsory free non-racial world-class education system be introduced?
(g) it target the abolition of poverty, unemployment and the huge gulf between rich
and poor to build an egalitarian society?
(h) it guarantee the building of durable quality houses for everybody to eliminate the
squatter camps and social degradation?
(i) an affordable modern efficient health care and social welfare system be accessible
by everybody?
(j) a corruption-free central and local government system be introduced that will
ensure adequate quality service delivery and undo and abolish the inequalities and
poor facilities in the ghettoes and locations (like sport)?
Were we being sold a big dummy in a blind-folded agreement just to get South Africa
back into international sport but with no guarantee of future fundamental change?
ROLE OF SANROCIN LONDON
The focus soon shifted to SANROC and Sam Ramsamy who wanted the London office
to be the sole representative of SACOS overseas, strongly contested and opposed the role of Dr. Dennis Brutus in the USA. In the usual dirty tricks campaign,
correspondence that was allegedly sent from the USA to the SACOS leadership never
arrived or was never tabled. These events gave rise to deep and acrimonious tensions
in SACOS that eventually led to take-over bids and a major split in the organisation. A period of bitter in-fighting followed in order to capture the leadership of SACOS
and its affiliates.
Sam Ramsamy convened the third International Conference Against Apartheid Sport
(ICAAS) on 5-7 November 1987 in Harare, under the auspices of the Supreme
Council for Sport in Africa (SCSA), the Association of National Olympic Committees
of Africa (ANOCA), the South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee (SANROC)
and the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee. SACOS was not directly informed and
knowledge of it came indirectly via an unknown ICAAS representative in South
Africa to a SACOS ofTicial. SACOS felt that attendance was essential at a meeting of such importance so near to South Africa. After consultation with Sam Ramsamy to
seek clarification, a belated invitation was received insisting that only two delegates
from SACOS be allowed to attend. This created suspicion, and further division as it
was contrary to SACOS democratic consultative governance tradition. Of the two
selected SACOS delegates, the president was refused a passport and the secretary was
only given a one month passport to Mauritius instead of to Zimbabwe. Two standby
delegates, and strangely, three other SACOS members who had not been selected
were eventually allowed to attend the conference.
MAKING 'UNITY' TALKS ACCEPTABLE
Correspondence from SAN ROC in London revealed that the racist S.A. Rugby Board
of Dr Danie Craven was seeking an audience with the ANC. The ANC met with
ICAAS chairman Fekrou Kidane and SANROC executive chairman Sam Ramsamy
in Lusaka on 23/24 February 1989. The S.A. Rugby Union briefed SACOS on talks
that took place between themselves, the ANC and the S.A. Rugby Board. Many in SACOS saw these meetings as condoning 'unity' talks and using it as a testing ground
for a negotiated settlement.
Ramsamy's cynical ploy of loudly attacking Apartheid sport and calling for its
isolation was being used merely as a smoke screen while many secret and later public
talks with the very discriminatory sports structures and their racist leaders were
going on behind the back of SACOS. These talks however had to be made publicly
acceptable.
FORMATION OF NATIONAL SPORTS COUNCIL
The emerging conflicts were masterminded by Sam Ramsamy in an attempt to
capture the leadership of SACOS or its affiliates. When this strategy failed, it
eventually led to the formation of a rival sports body, the National Sports Council
(NSC) in January 1988. A SACOS delegation met with the NSC on 7 May 1988 where the later acknowledged SACOS as the only organisation representing non-racial sport
and that it did not see itself as a rival to SACOS. Almost all the NSC officials were, in
any case, existing members of SACOS. The NSC claimed they would support SACOS
and augment its efforts to "take sport to the townships". But a report of a later
meeting between the Border Council of Sport and the NSC stated that the NSC had
decided unilaterally to go it alone and would have nothing further to do with SACOS.
This was never directly communicated to SACOS.
But the NSC soon showed its true colours by creating chaos in the ranks of no-racial
sport hy splitting sports codes along party political lines. A proposal in table tennis to
politically align with the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) led to a split in the
code. This proposal had to be withdrawn as it transgressed the international table
tennis federation rules.
It soon became apparent that the strategies of SANROC in London and the NSC were
identical in intent, to streamline a negotiated settlement for the easy and virtually
unconditional return of South Africa to international sport and the Olympic Games.
As a lucrative incentive, former ‘struggle’ officials were placed in charge of
transformation programs, or to promote 'quotas' or 'development players' in
representative teams. But this window dressing was certainly not fundamental to
bring structural changes in the basic economic power relations in society or sport,
instead it was a masterful ploy by the ruling class and its sports bodies to merely coopt gullible, reformist and mercenary elements in the oppressed sports community
with lucrative perks and official positions.
EROSION OF UNITY AND STRENGTH OF SACOS
SANROC invited delegates from SACOS and most of its larger affiliates to a meeting
on 5 November 1990 in Harare Zimbabwe. Delegates arrived with prepared mandates
but found the meeting's input, composition and purpose had been bureaucratically
rigged by Sam Ramsamy. SACOS delegates raised principled objections to the
presence of delegates, like Dr Danie Craven, from racist organisations to 'debate' the
future of South African sport. But the meeting was completely rigged despite SACOS
protests and the deal was as good as sealed.
The serious tensions and conflict of interests of the whole negotiation process
completely undermined the morale, and eroded the unity and national strength of
SACOS and destroyed the illustrious and principled role it was playing as the
indigenously developed sports wing of the liberatory movement.
THE DEAL: RETURN TO INTERNATIONAL SPORT
INVESTORS SPEARHEAD RETURN TO INTERNATIONAL SPORT
The return of South Africa to international sport was spearheaded by big investors,
international sports bodies and powerful business groups. They were linked to sport
via media, marketing, advertising, tourism, transport and telecommunications and
saw vast profitable opportunities for new investments, revenue generating
international sports tours, lucrative world cup bids (for Olympic Games, international
games in cricket, rugby, soccer, etc), television and media revenues, building of
massive sports stadiums, hotels, property or golf club developments.
UNIFICATION AND SELF-ENRICHMENT
Racist ‘white’ sports bodies in different codes seized the opportunity and called for
national unity talks and mergers between the non-racial and the former racial bodies.
With a background of tension and division in SACOS, these talks and mergers often
took place in different sports codes without much foresight or depth of understanding
of the issues at stake. Many formerly disadvantaged officials, especially from NSC
ghost bodies with no infrastructure, lacked the necessary qualifications or experience
and were ill equipped for top administration posts. They were initially used to re
inforce the "united" sport organisations bids for admission into international organisations and to provide proof of the 'transformation' process. Many ‘black’
officials saw this as a chance for self-enrichment but were soon removed from office on various pretexts after they served their initial purpose to legitimize the return of
South Africa to international sport. No real fundamental changes to bring about full
equality in the structure, financial control and power relations in sport were
demanded by the National Sports Congress, nor were any implemented. This major
flaw of maintaining the apartheid era class and power-relations in the economy and
sport in sport led to a wholesale co-option process. This unequal co-option process is
the underlying reason, or source, of many ongoing class conflicts, social tensions,
selection problems, old style training methods, inadequate resources, widespread
poverty, lack of facilities , inadequate finances, top heavy sponsorship, forced
mergers of poor township clubs (to smash their ‘struggle history traditions’), the
failure to include the huge rugby playing Eastern Cape region in the super league or
the rapid emergence of mercenary or corrupt officials. This led to a rapid decline in
‘black’ township sport, spawning a host of other sporting or social problems like
gangsterism, violence, fights or verbal racist abuse during games, match fixing, drug
abuse, spectator problems, sexism and even rapes.
The mergers were often coupled with tempting offers of high salaried posts and fat
perks in the new unified bodies to formerly disadvantaged officials and players in a
new, highly commercialised sports administration. The new dispensation was well
supported by generous government grants or substantial business sponsorships for rewarding posts in coaching, training, 'transformation' or 'development' structures.
The new mercenary offers and developments were too good to be true for many poor
officials who at first were in a dilemma of conscience, but it quickly gained legitimacy
through extensive media support.
OLD ECONOMIC POWER AND CLASS RELATIONS
The "new South Africa" sports dispensation of "united" sports structures still
suffered from the same old problems under a new guise. The apartheid laws were
technically and legally abolished and a new non-racial, democratic constitution with
equal rights instituted. Political organisations had been unbanned and political
prisoners released. An accommodating social contract to plot the way forward with
strong backing from the rich developed capitalist economies had been negotiated.
However, the national debt which had been incurred to enforce apartheid, now had to
be repaid as a double oppression. A repayment of such a massive debt would
definitely retard South Africa’s future development for decades, forcing it to play
‘catch-up’ while the advanced economies and other emerging countries of the world
are racing ahead in economic, educational, technological, social and sporting
development.
But the dominant capitalist system and existing economic control by big white
business still remained intact with its huge chasm between the rich (mainly whites)
and the poor (mainly black) urban, rural or migratory working class and peasants.
Greater upward social mobility resulted in a growing black middle class and a thin
layer of super-rich black economic empowerment (BEE) elite that was beholden to,
and dependent on powerful 'white' capital.^^ There were no fundamental social
changes in the basic social structure or economic power and class relations between
the rich and the poor sports persons and in civil society. Neither was there broad-
based empowerment or improvement of the poverty-stricken mass of the (sports)
people and very little 'trickle-down' effect. Simultaneously, the rich 'haves' became
richer and the poor 'have-nots' became poorer with over 50®/o of the (sports) population below the poverty line due to poverty or unemployment with very little
chance of ever playing representative sport.
The government has belatedly recognised this danger (identified as the existence of
two economies) to the long-term legitimacy and stability of the country's political
order and is attempting to do damage control.
MARGINALISATION OF THE BLACK MAJORITY AND WOMEN
Many of the new top national sports administrators came from a tradition of ethical
democratic governance born during the history of struggle, with accountability to
unions, clubs, grassroots players and communities. But sadly, many officials were not
equipped nor skilled for the rapid changes to top well-paid national management posts. These officials fielded conflicting social and political interests, handled huge
sums of money and operated under direct pressures from vested media, marketing
and advertising interests. Sport was now run in bureaucratic manner as a profit
making business. Many of the new black officials, with few exceptions, did not last
long in the new contentious, highly competitive and hostile environment. Some newly
appointed black presidents were just fronts while real power remained in the hands of
former racist officials and powerful managing directors or coaches who enjoyed the
real prestige (clearly visible in cricket and rugby). The result is that many national or
provincial teams are still mainly white, while women, and black women in particular,
are still marginalised.
DEVALUATION OF HISTORY AND TRADITIONS
The new dispensation caused the rapid decline of sports activities and the demise of
organised community sport and clubs in many disadvantaged black areas. These
factors were due to continued poverty, unemployment, homelessness, land hunger,
violence, lack of basic education, poor township facilities and the degradation of
township life. Highly competitive organised sport became too expensive for the poor
due to the rising cost of modern sports equipment, destructive enforced club mergers,
exorbitant membership, travelling or spectator fees. This was aggravated by thinly
veiled racial or class prejudice from the elite (mainly from rich private schools) who
feared to play in mainly black poorer townships. Many of the top sporting matches (except soccer and some token matches) were relocated out of the black townships to
modern multi-million sports facilities, mainly in elite formerly 'whites-only'
residential areas.
Consequently, while previously rich whites-only clubs built on their past (racist)
traditions and history, many clubs with long and rich histories of social struggle were
compelled to collapse or combined to form hybrid mergers to ensure survival. This
contributed to the devaluation, and sometimes demise of the history, ethos, traditions
and contribution they had made to the fight for social and sporting emancipation.
11 YEARS INTO DEMOCRACY
Sport is really a microcosm of society and is directly influenced by the values,
dominant ideas, economic or military power and class relations in society. Sport reflects the progress or retardation in socio-economic growth and development,
relative to its own past and to other developed and emerging countries. After 11 years
of non-racial democracy and despite strenuous efforts by the democratically elected
non-racial government, major sports bodies are in severe crisis and most black sports
persons still suffer severe economic and social discrimination in sport and society.
Many interacting factors have collectively retarded sport and destroyed the much
vaunted but ineffective 'transformation', 'black quotas in teams' and 'development
player' schemes. The government says that voluntary self-regulation or
transformation in sports federations has failed miserably to produce representivity
after eleven years of democracy. The Sports and Recreation Minister, Makhenkesi
Stofde is losing patience, threatening to clean up the games and introduce a new law
that will force them to transform and make sport more representative. But a new law,
changes in public administration, better black quotas in teams, more efficient
management or improved human resources development, will not alone solve the
deep-seated underlying problems that retard sport and socio-economic development,
which is causing deep resentment, alienation and mass demonstrations, resulting in
the undermining of morale.
CONCLUSION
BOLD NEW REVOLUTIONARY STRATEGIES NEEDED
Bold, new, integrated and revolutionary strategies are needed to build an egalitarian
society that will require determined political will-power and purposefulness to
fundamentally change society and urgently deliver quality results within strict time
frames. Some are listed below.
(1) Although the policy of white domination has been rejected and all racial laws
abolished, the glaring social, sporting and economic (class) inequalities still persist
and are visibly worsening for the vast majority of people except for a privileged
black middle class. This self-seeking middle class does not uplift the poor but
merely acts as a social buffer to protect rich big business from the poor exploited
working class. Real economic power and most of the county's wealth is still in the
hands of big (white) business and overseas investors, in spite of the existence of a
small black economic empowerment (BEE) elite that is mostly beholden to big
capital.^’ Over 50% of the population live below the poverty line. The dominant
ideas in society are still those of the capitalist exploitative ruling class.
The unequal distribution or control of wealth must be radically changed to
eliminate the massive power of big capital corporations and to build an egalitarian
non-exploitative democracy. The huge and growing chasm between rich
and poor must be abolished together with the associated social and economic class
barriers that perpetuate privilege and inequalities in society.
(2) Most of the prime land whether choice residential, fertile agricultural, mining,
industrial and commercial areas are still controlled by the same cartels albeit with a
black empowerment component. Land restitution is mainly for poor subsistence
farming with little modern scientific agricultural training and production methods.
Solve the agrarian problem and land hunger by effectively providing viable
redistribution or equitable social control of land. Introduce modern sustainable
mechanized agricultural farming methods, education or training to improve crop
quality, productivity and ecological awareness to preserve our resources for future
generations. Prosperous farming communities will then enjoy better quality of life
and improve sport in their leisure time.
(3) The migratory (essentially cheap, black surplus) labour system is still operative.
The retarding shell of out-moded tribalism is sustained by huge multi-million annual government salary payments to a vast army of traditional leaders from
‘kings’ to chiefs or headmen and their organisations. It is in fact an investment in
social and economic backwardness. Introduce a stable settled highly educated
work-force with rapid competitive job creation in manufacturing, commerce or computer based service industries to eliminate unemployment and poverty.
Introduce global-quality skills training with continuously improving competitive
standards, improved production levels, income, standard of living and sporting
achievements.
(4) Public education (as opposed to expensive private schools), is in a virtual state of collapse, especially the teaching of science, mathematics and modern technological
skills (compared to global standards).^* A free compulsory modern top class
education system with well trained and qualified teachers are essential for highly
competitive management and production systems that power economic, social and
sporting development in global competitions.
(5) Local municipalities have (at present) only 8% of the requisite skills or
experienced staff and are collapsing in the face of basic service delivery
requirements, rapid changes of former ghettoes and essential forward planning
for required new economic growth, expansion and social development. Rapid
people-orientated skills training (with sustained mentoring and supervision),
education of engineers, medical and other professional or technical staff is
required and must become a national priority for improved country-wide
municipal service delivery.
(6) The grave existing housing shortage is growing exponentially as fewer houses are
built annually relative to the yearly family formation or growing demand.^’
Adequate durable quality housing stock must be rapidly built conforming strictly to National Building Regulations like health, fire, safety, long-life and structural
requirements and serve as a kick-start for economic growth and job creation for
the entire population.
(7) The provision of health, sports and civic amenities in former black areas remain
poor, as overcrowded hospital and clinic services have limited or reduced budgets, overworked staff or lack modem equipment.^" Provide adequate affordable well
equipped fully staffed health services (with well-funded research to cure AIDS and
other diseases), civic amenities and sports facilities.
(8) The high ethical standards, voluntary service, transparent accountable
governance and sound moral values of the SACOS era have been destroyed with
open mercenary greed, fraud, numerous cormption scandals, cronyism in job
appointments and even bribed referees. Many public sports and public
bonus awards (in cash-strapped bodies), travel or entertainment perks or give
contracts to pals. Administrative chaos and scandals abound over take-over bids
as competing groups of elites Tight over the financial spoils. This mindset is merely
a cancerous continuation of the corrupt ways of the previous apartheid regime
that is damaging the bonds of civil society. Ruthless measures are required to
drastically eliminate all forms of corruption and greed from all government,
public, private, business and sports bodies coupled with the promotion of
exemplary sound democratic governance and ethics.
(9) The aspiring mandarins and fat-cats forget about performance management or quality service delivery. Poor administration is aggravated by the rapid Tiring of
coaches, outdated training methods (Staaldraad), old-style prejudices or values
and racially skewed selection of representative teams. The malaise is reflected by
poor and declining performances against international competition in rugby,
soccer, cricket and particularly, the Olympic Games. High ethical standards of
governance, public accountability and people- orientated development must be
developed and even systematically enforced.
(10) The high rate of formal unemployment (41%),^' job losses and poverty, coupled
with social insecurity, violence, rapes, murders, increasing suicides, gangsterism, growing influence of druglords and overcrowded prisons (a training centre for
gangs) alienate people and undermines social well- being. More than half of the
population are marginalised from ever excelling in economic growth or sporting
progress. Eradicate fear, violence, gangsterism, drug abuse and associated social
problems in a decisive way so that the entire population own and drive the
development processes, experience tangible social and economic prosperity and
develop as enthusiastic interested stakeholders.
(1 l)Modern fully equipped sports facilities and top class sports development
academies should be provided at provincial and national levels. Young
talent must be identified, nurtured, trained and provided with intensive
modern specialised training and coaching to world-class standards.
(12) Break down privilege, prejudice, class and economic barriers to build aprosperous, mutually co-operative, non-racial, cohesive united democratic nation.
Create a sense of caring, sharing, people-centred development that promote
friendliness, confidence, individual and social well being, visible change,
prosperity, progress and patriotism in the entire population.
The huge and growing chasm of economic and social inequality, poverty, class
division, lack of continuous improvement, service delivery and socio-economic
development in South Africa has resulted in increasing unrest, bigger demonstrations
and deepening chaos in sport and society. Under these appalling conditions, the old
SACOS motto of "NO NORMAL SPORT IN AN ABNORMAL SOCIETY" still rings
particularly deep, true and meaningful, in the quest for social, economic and sporting
equality and justice.
FRANK A VAN DER HORST B.Sc.(Pure Science). B.Sc.(CiviI Engineer). Sec. Teachers Dipl. Property Dev. Dipl. (All U.C.T.). B.Admin. (Hons) School of Government. M.Comm. (All U.W.C.).
Delegate from South African Hockey Board to SACOS: 1973-77.Vice President: SACOS 1977-82.
President: SACOS 1982-88.Chairperson: WESTERN PROVINCE COUNCIL OF SPORT 1970-82.
Convenor: SACOS NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVALS 1982 and 1988 Director: SACOSPORT AND LIBERATION CONFERENCE 1983
Secretary: SOUTH AFRICAN HOCKEY BOARD 1970-89
NOTES1 Spring Rose Rugby Football Club (Port Elizabeth) club was formed in 1885 (the SACOS
president attended their centenary celebrations of playing rugby in 1985), Thistles Rugby
Football Club (Cape Town) in 1891, and Thistles Rugby Football Club (Kimberley) in
1908. In 1897 the Griqualand-West Colonial Rugby Union extended an invitation to all
disadvantaged rugby unions to a meeting in Kimberley. Newtonians Reunion 1948-2004:
Commemorative Brochure.
2 Inter-race boards were formed during the 1940's and national federations were formed in
the 1950's in football, cricket, weight-lifting, athletics. The South African Table Tennis
Board under Cassim Bassa was the first non-racial code in 1947 and gained affiliation to
the International Table Tennis Federation and the African Table Tennis Federation.
Archer, R. and Bouillon, A.: The South African Game.
3 SASSA’s aims were: to co-ordinate non-w hite sport, to advance the cause of sport and the
standard of sport among non-white sportsmen, to see that they and their organisations
secure proper recognition (in South Africa] and abroad, and to do this on a non-racial
basis. Archer, R. and Bouillon, A.: The South Afriean Game.
4 The African National Congress, Pan African Congress and the South African Communist
Parts- w ere banned. Members of the Non European Unity Movement and other bodies
were persecuted and banned. Many were arrested and jailed on Robben Island,
Nylstroom prison or elsewhere.
5 SANROC founding officials were: Dennis Brutus (president, banned from attending
meetings). Rev B.L. E. Sigamoney (vice president), N. Rathinsamy (chairman), Reg
Hlongwane (secretary), N. Solanki (treasurer). Photo in SACOS publication.
6 President Rathinsamy was denied his passport, Reg Hlongwane fled abroad, Chris de
Broglio (later SANROC secretary in London) left when government harassed his
employers, George Singh was banned and placed under house arrest, and Dennis Brutus
was banned in 1961, arrested in 1963 and left South Africa in 1966 for London to Join
Chris de Broglio and Reg Hlongwane to re-establish SANROC in exile. Archer, R. and
Bouillon, A.: The South African Game & Booth, D.: The Race Game.
7 The expulsion of the racist Football Association of South Africa from world governing
soccer body FIFA in 1964, the refusal by theVerwoerdian government to allow blacks to
tour as members of the New Zealand rugby team and the cancellation of the MCC cricket
tour because of the inclusion of former 'coloured' South African Basil D'Oliveira,
signalled the end of the participation of racist sportspersons in international events. See
Sacosport and Liberation publication.
8 SACOS recognised the international principles of the Olympic C'harter especially its non-
discriminatory and non-racial clauses and that its affiliates were the only South African
sports associations to do so and to qualify for membership to their respective international
sports body. But this can only be achieved with the total abolition of all racist laws and
institutions when the country is freed from racial exploitation. Archer, R. and Bouillon,
A.: The South African Game.
9 Support for SACOS came from many individuals who were members of the African
National Congress, Natal Indian Congress, South African Communist Party, Non
European Unity Movement, the All African Convention, the Anti-Coloured Affairs
Department , the Pan African Congress, the Black Consciousness Movement, The
Teachers League of South Africa, the National Liberation Front and other groupings.
10 The early Dutch and British colonists introduced the discriminatory colour bar that was
based on an exploitative political economy into South African society, culture and sport.
They militarily subjugated the indigenous people (or imported and later freed slaves from
the east), robbed them of their land (whites owned 77%) and used them as cheap black
labour. The indigenous people were systematically herded into locations and 'native
reserves' (later Homelands), through numerous wars of dispossession, the Great Trek and
Land Acts. The reserve system became massive reservoirs of cheap unskilled labour for
the white farms, factories and mines. An inhuman cheap migratory (surplus) labour
system developed that was based on the 'reserve system', land hunger, pass laws, and
influx control into the urban areas.
11 Mantashe illustrated the politically strategic role that the militant Mine Workers Union
played in carrying the important mining industry (gold, coal, diamonds, platinum, iron,
uranium, manganese) which was monopolised by rich cartels (Anglo-American owned 52,5%
of the JSE shares). Mining constituted a major pillar of the South African economy, a huge
contributor to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), foreign investments and trade. The workers
wanted a controlling say in the mining industry and thereby the economy of the country. This
w as an important terrain of struggle. Mantashe, G.: Lecture to Natal Council of Sport.
12 The oppresive laws are the: Population Registration Act; Group Areas and Locations
Acts; Pass Laws; Bantu, Coloured and Indian Education Acts; Reservation of Separate
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