Mkolo sank the ship

The article “Border Bulldogs Rugby Team Down and Out” (DD, Dec 4), refers. I can only imagine what the late Bra Steve Tshwete and Rev Makhenkesi Stofile, as ministers of sport and recreation, would be feeling at the only hope of black rugby talent, the Border Bulldogs, going under. It is now becoming a sad reality that Border Bulldogs will be non-existent in the next two years thanks to its head, Border Rugby president Pumlani Mkolo. Unfortunately, rugby in SA rots from the head.

This is because sponsors look at who leads before they commit with funds, not at the excellence of the talent.

Hence the blame has to be put squarely on the head of its current captain, Mkolo, as the Border Rugby ship sinks.

Border Rugby became penniless in his presence if one looks at sponsorship during this time.

I’m equally disappointed with the Eastern Cape ANC’s previous PEC, ever since its own man joined Border Rugby.

Phumulo Masualle would have done better – both as chair of the ANC and as premier of the province – to discourage members from entering the space, because whoever takes this responsibility has to know it has the potential to erode political goodwill when they perform as badly as now.

Masualle’s successor, Oscar Mabuyane, is relatively young and has a chance to feel the pain of the young talent facing them in this current man-made catastrophe.

I urge him to intervene to ensure that Border Rugby does not get banished into the cold for the next two years, otherwise what former SA Rugby Association leader Peter Skolweni, and other like him – including Tshwete, Stofile and former minister Ngconde Balfour – fought for would have been in vain.

Mabuyane is likely to be the premier of this province and it is only fair to say that he has the future of the next Makazole Mapimpi in his hands. #MabuyaneHelpSaveBorderRugby.

– Silumko Bushula, Summerpride