Comments on: ‘The Springbok emblem must go!’

By: Lyndall Beddy

Lyndall Beddy — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 09:48:27 +0000

And if there every was a “struggle in the trenches” it was the First World War.

By: Lyndall Beddy

Lyndall Beddy — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 09:46:53 +0000

Lebo

Do not try to stop your children learning history – though at school she is probably being taught propaganda, which is the last thing you should re-inforce at home. I made sure to explain to my children the difference between reality and what was in their schoolbooks!

As for the Springbok – it was first adapted as an emblem for South Africans, black AND white, in the First World War.

By: Bongani

Bongani — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:53:19 +0000

Being a big BAFANA BAFANA and SPRINGBOK supporter myself, all this talk of changing our country’s sports emblems, truly saddens me!… I love all South African Sport, I love that sporting occasions bring us ALL together! And I do not see how anything positive could come from changing this famous and historic emblem? It feels to me that it will only add more sadness, uncertainty and negativity into the hearts of a nation already having to cope with REAL problems, such as Education, an ailing Health System, massive amounts of Violence and Crime, Skills shortages, political Corruption etc, etc, etc, etc… For if President Nelson Mandela could wear the springbok emblem on his chest with pride and honour, on that famous day in 1995, in the wake of an Apartheid Era he had just overcome, was that not one of the most unifying moments in our country’s history? Did that moment not get a whole nation on their feet in unison, to salute a Man and a Team of Champions worthy of such an honour? By deciding to change this emblem, you will be implying that, that moment, that team, and that amazing man did not achieve anything… But rather that a small jumping buck, which stood proud on the shoulders of this country’s first major international sporting achievement after apartheid, is still something that some individuals can associate with negative events of the past. I am afraid that if this is the reality, then “these people” who ever they may be, will never be satisfied… but will continue to try and find something to blame, something to change, and something to hate… And I will be ashamed, to be associated with such a narrow-minded, miss-guided and ultimately humiliating decision. Stop this silliness! Get it over and done with! And then tell the nation what will be next… so that we can start preparing our hearts for the next DISSAPOINTMENT.

By: Lebo

Lebo — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:39:52 +0000

I touched on this recently when I was discussing symbols of apartheid on one of the subjects debated earlier. The fact that the springbok emblem was abused for racial purposes is a fact and as a result for the sake of sustainable democracy and starting off on a clean sheet the bok must go together with other such symbols.

I personally think it is not negotiable as these symbols continue to sustain the mentality that things have not changed and will never change depending on which side of one is on. I get my 8 year old daughter coming to me recently to tell me that they were discussing the old apartheid (South African)flag at school and that they were told that they have to know it and its colours.

As disgusting as this was to me at least I was able tell her that the flag was banned and it is against the law to carry it in public.

When the new anthem is sung I doubt if there is any section of the South African public who feel that it does not represent them ….may be arguably so, but the point being that it is not based or used by the current regime or any section of the population to dicriminate against other sections no matter how imperfect it maybe. The same goes for the new flag.

I still insist that this is more important to black people than the “truth and recociliation” as it forms part of our daily reality in the new South Africa. Call them whatever you want so long as you change the embllem and the name, maybe I will go back to supporting local rugby.

By: Rainer

Rainer — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 08:53:26 +0000

For the sake of true reconciliation…. All of SA sports should join under a combined Springbok-Protea emblem

By: Lyndall Beddy

Lyndall Beddy — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:22:17 +0000

Both my grandfathers were MPs in Smuts’ parliament in the war, at considerable financial sacrifice – MPs did not get a salary in those days. It was a voluntary job. Might be a great idea to go back to that idea!

Never Made It

The Springboks were around long before apartheid and Danie Craven. And just because both Craven and Komphele are racist adminstrators why should the players and the spectators suffer?

Oosthuizen

How did they keep off the tarred (or gravel) roads – fly? (Sorry Jon – there was no gravel either). And 90% of the population was black so 90% of the medicine dispensed in public hospitals was to blacks. Get a life!

By: dooringboom

dooringboom — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:04:52 +0000

Isn’t it strange how much money, time and energy is spent on destroying the old than building the new?…well I suppose that this is the african way.

There is a difference between accepting reasonable and needed change and you asking me to embrace your cultures while you try to destroy any
evidence that mine ever existed.

In your mind:
Afrikaans = Apartheid therefore everything to do with Afrikaans, including Afrikaners themselves need to be destroyed.

By: Jon

Jon — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:43:02 +0000

@ oosthuizen… No black was ever denied the right to drive or cycle down or to walk along any public tarred road. No black patient in need of an anti-biotic was ever denied penicillin. Have you been reading these grim fairy tales from Essop’s Fables?

By: BenzoL

BenzoL — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:36:49 +0000

Thinking ahead: what should SA do after 40 years of divisive neo-apartheid under the ANC? Remove all ANC related names as relics of neo-apartheid and again trying unsuccessfully to wipe out history? As if we have nothing else to do?

By: Martin

Martin — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:39:39 +0000

I am an Australian Springbok supporter, and cannot seem to understand the fuss about nothing. I think this a good article written by Diakanyo. Are my fellow Aussie bok supporters, now to become Protea supporters? Besides all the Australian national teams have different names and association with different animals, what is the problem! Having won the 1995 & 2008 Rugby World Cups, I presume there will be many black, white & coloured Springboks, upset and confused. This seems to be politics getting mixed up in sport again.