Racism is ‘elephant in room’ in cricket

THE BLACK People’s National Crisis Committee calls for government to revoke all state awards given to current or former cricket players implicated in racism since readmission.

We are not surprised by the recent accusations of racism levelled by black current and former players against their white counterparts. Racism is the elephant in the room in South African society. Cricket is no different.

What has been encouraging has been the unrelenting desire by cricket icons like Makhaya Ntini, Ashwell Prince and to speak out about the toxic white-centric nature of elite cricket in this country. What we saw is what we have always known could be possible.

We call for an independent commission of inquiry into racism in Cricket South Africa (CSA) since readmission. This should include a study of how and why transformation has been slow. Why has it failed to uproot institutional racism in the sport?

Why have black players felt unsafe to speak of the horrors they have been going through, even with a free and democratic dispensation?

Why have captains reinforced cliques and often racist groups who are even more powerful than the coach and the board?

At the end of the inquiry, any player who is found to have been racist in tandem with any administrator of the same ilk will have any award or status given by the state or any of its sporting institutions, revoked. If a player is racist, that player is on their own and must fend for themselves outside the financial cushioning of CSA.

CSA will need to be asked to account for why they have allowed an institution meant to use sport for social cohesion to have such an oldstyle racist culture?

SONGEZO MAZIZI | The Black People’s National Crisis Committee spokesperson