Mandela inspires players’ protest
SOUTH AFRICA’S cricketers evoked powerful images of Nelson Mandela yesterday in raising a fist before the start of their Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka.
Quinton de Kock’s team controversially opted to steer clear of support for the Black Lives Matter movement last month, and did not take a knee collectively before England’s recent limited-overs matches in South Africa. Instead, they sported black armbands as part of a period of national mourning for victims of gender-based violence and the coronavirus pandemic.
But in a U-turn yesterday at Centurion, they made their gestures after ‘a process of deep democracy’ within the team.
‘We feel it is important to note that while American football quarterback Colin Kaepernick is now known for initiating the gesture of taking the knee, he began his protest by sitting during the singing of the United States of America anthem,’ read a statement from the South African team.
‘His decision to move toward taking the knee was a response to his context and a desire to own a gesture that had deep significance in the US political environment.
‘In the same vein... we would like to use our platform to raise awareness around an issue that matters deeply in this historical moment. We want to do so in a way that unites us around a gesture we own, which speaks to and resonates in our South African context, and which is connected to our own history of struggle for human rights.
‘The raised fist is a powerful gesture in our own history, as expressed in the iconic images of Nelson and Winnie Mandela on Mandela’s release from prison in 1990. In this context it was a powerful gesture of triumph, an acknowledgment of the struggle against apartheid, and a commitment to continuing to fight for equality, justice and freedom, while also honouring the religious and cultural responsibilities of every member of our team.
‘We recognize the historical and political connotations of the raised fist as a gesture of solidarity in the fight for racial justice and anti-racism work. So, we stand together and raise our fists as a gesture of solidarity and commitment to continuing the work of pursuing racial justice in our lifetimes.’