Has xenophobia reached the rugby field? Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira is born in Harare, Zimbabwe and he is also a Springbok who represents South Africa on the rugby field. What is making him so unique is, that it’s almost seems as if the department of Sport and Recreation wants to use him as a example for illegal immigrants ‘stealing’ South Africans opportunities. Here is a direct quote of something the ministry said in its statement:
While Tendai is a live wire on the field of play, the question is whether it is, in the first place, justifiable to say he has scarce skills – the rationale that would have enabled him to obtain the current work permit. If we go the route our rugby administrators are requesting us to take, and facilitate the fast-tracking of Tendai’s citizenship, what would this say to all rugby players in our country? We cannot as a government department responsible for sport and recreation in this country, afford to insult our players like this,
What that statement is implying is that it would be an insult to help Tendai with his citizenship just because he is a rugby player, to other capable players in South Africa. They first want to ascertain he is bringing in a skill that cannot be filled by a South African. This is not just about race any more, now it’s about where you were born. If Tendai was not trying to become a South African and if he did not contribute to society like the other million or so Zimbabweans here illegally, this would make sense. This sounds more like an insecure nationality that feels threatened by anyone achieving more than they have.
So far in South Africa’s rugby history there have been numerous foreign born members on the team. Even a couple of captains the most notable of the lot is Bobby Skinstad, he was born in Zimbabwe back then known as Rhodesia. Even though he is not what you would typically call Zimbabwean but that is where he comes from.
Rugby players from Zimbabwe:
1. Adrian Garvey ‘Turbo Prop’ ; Born Bulawayo Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) 1986 ; 28 test 1990’
2.Andy MacDonald ; Born Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) 1960’ ; 5 test
3.Ben-Piet van Zyl ; Born Gweru (Gwelo) Zimbabwe 1935
4.Bobby Skinstad (Robert Brian Skinstad) ; Born in Bulawayo 1976 Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) ; 42 times, scoring 55 points (11 tries) was also captain of the Springbok team.
5.Brian Mujati ; Born Bulawayo Zimbabwe 1984 ; Still playing from 2008
6.Chris Rogers ; Born Masvingo (Fort Victoria) 1956 ; 4 test as hooker
7.David Smith ; Born Bulawayo Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) 1957
8.Gary Teichmann ; Born Zimbabwean 1967 ; 42 test, 6 tries, captain of Springboks shirt number eight.
9.Ian Robertson ; Born Zimbabwe 1950 ; 5 test
10.Tonderai Chavhanga ; Born 1983 Mavingo in Zimbabwe ; Fastest ruby player in South African Rugby history, could run 100meters in 10.27 seconds.
That is ten players that we know of all from Zimbabwe. Two out of the lot were captains, there have been ‘foreigners’ representing South Africa from the start of South African Rugby, which was brought here by ‘foreigners’. It is just going too far to want to punish one player for lack of performance of black South Africans. If they did better there would be more of them in the team and the ministry would not being having such a big issue with the Beast who is a excellent player.
It is understandable that the government wants only South Africans to play but if a person wants to become a South African and is only stuck in red tape, why should he not? The ministry made it sound as if the South African Rugby Union (SARU) was committing a crime to ask for a speed up on Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira’s passport.
The principle here is clear: Only citizens of our country can play for our National team, irrespective of the sport code. Therefore, no foreign national can play for any of our national teams, no matter how outstanding they may be. If any player in any code is to become a South African citizen, this has to be done within the legal framework of our country
By the time he might ever get his passport Tendai Mtawarira would be past his prime and South Africa would have lost a good player. From the Old.com
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