Sport ‘empowerment’ is mere tokenism

YOUR article, “Empowerment in sport on target” (Cape Argus, May 8), refers.

Mr Jurie Roux, the chief executive of SA Rugby, speaks with a forked tongue because he is essentially dishonest in his appraisal of empowerment in South African sport.

Many of the non-white South African sports people who have made the grade in national and international arenas are those who were poached from township schools and given scholarships to complete their studies at private or Model C schools.

There they were groomed, under ideal conditions, to meet the standards required for participation in national teams. They are all well-known.

Undoubtedly, despite opportunities granted to them to enjoy a place in the sun, their selections do not confirm genuine empowerment. Neither can their successes validate that targets are being reached.

Perhaps Mr Jurie’s closing comment that now only 8% of South African pupils at 25 000 public schools have access to sport should be the statistic measuring progress in post-apartheid South Africa.

Which schools in townships have properly trained physical education teachers or sports coaches to identify and groom promising players?

Since the rationalisation of teachers, physical education is non-existent in township schools. Poor facilities and lack of equipment entrench underdevelopment. Under these circumstances, how can the playing fields be levelled?

Those who validate the cosmetic changes in sport, such as Mr Roux, are the only ones who really benefit financially from this kind of tokenism. ABU BAKR SOLOMONS Southfield