Menzi Magubane
Has Cricket South Africa’s Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) project come up with a solution to fighting racial discrimination and inequality in the team?
No it hasn’t.
The South African men’s national cricket team is still a mess.
The sudden resignation of assistant coach Enock Nkwe on Monday raises yet more questions. What is really going on there? Nkwe quit his post, citing that the working environment within the team management has become a contaminated space that he can no longer function in.
“He feels that his inputs as assistant coach are not valued and taken into consideration,” said a TimesLive source.
“He feels he has been reduced to being a ‘cone boy’. He does not feel he is part of the team.”
The source also alleged the Proteas team is riddled with divisions and squabbling. Administrators, players and coaches are afraid to speak out for fear of victimisation.
This is serious, especially with the SJN hearings still in progress.
SJN ombudsman Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza should be looking into Nkwe’s resignation, and should perhaps summon him to these hearings before their conclusion.
Nkwe’s resignation came a day after Proteas head coach Mark Boucher responded to racial discrimination accusations levelled at him last month by former spinner Paul Adams. Boucher wrote two affidavits, and in one he apologised for any offense or hurt he might have caused during his playing days.
In the other, the former national wicket-keeper rejected allegations made by Adams against him.
During his testimony Adams named Boucher as one of the players who called him derogatory names in the team during their playing days.
He claims that Boucher and other players used the phrase “brown sh*t” in reference to him. Boucher denies this accusation.
Yes, I know Advocate Ntsebeza said the hearings are not a criminal inquiry. But just because Boucher apologised does that mean all is well?
Surely there must be some sort of consequence for him and the others who allegedly tormented black players in the Proteas?
Image source: @SuperSport
