Unarine Muumba
The leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema has discouraged South Africans from wearing the colors of the Springboks, saying they were worn during apartheid for Boers to distinguish between black and white players.
Addressing the media and South Africans at large, Julius Malema said he fully supports Siya Kolisi, who is the captain of the team, and the players. But he will not wear the apartheid colours because it’s a sign of honouring colonialism. He said he would not apologize for disregarding the colors and emblem.
“We really have got no reason to panic whatsoever, we must never apologize for rejecting the springbok’s name, emblem and colors. All of them represent apartheid, they were adopted to distinguish white people from black people who are playing rugby. You can’t say you don’t support the stem and yet you support the Springbok name and colors and emblem of rugby that represent apartheid,” said Malema
Malema went on to say the country must not be coaxed by apartheid apologists who feel that they are owed any apology for disregarding their colonial vestiges.
“We must never ever try to over-explain ourselves to apartheid apologists because they will always make it their business to misunderstand us. Our call is very simple we support the national rugby team with its captain as Siya Kolisi and not nonsensical apartheid colors and symbols. Springbok falls in the same category as Smuts, Delarey, Botha and De Klerk, they must all fall,” said the EFF leader.
Malema said such names should never be used in celebrating a democratic dispensation, people must never be coned to being subject to pleasing apartheid masters because their time came and went.
This comes after he publicly announced at the parliament meeting that springbok colors, name and emblem must fall along with all apartheid vestiges. His call is that black people’s heritage must be fully celebrated and appreciated.
