South Africa to reintroduce quotas

[Pfitzy]

This is BIG news in the context of a media deal renegotiation:

http://www.bdlive.co.za/sport/rugby/2013/08/15/saru-confirms-new-racial-quota-system

QUOTAS will formally be reintroduced into South African rugby, for the first time since they were officially done away with nine years ago, during the 2014 Vodacom Cup competition.

The South African Rugby Union (Saru) made the announcement following a quarterly meeting of the executive committee on Monday. The proposal was taken to the provincial unions on Tuesday and they have agreed.

Each of the 14 participating unions will be required to pick a minimum of seven black players, two of whom must be forwards, in their match-day squads.

The numbers were determined in line with Saru’s global transformation strategy and having reviewed historical levels of black representation in the competition.

...

Not the whole article, but you'd have to think this will weaken the Super Rugby franchises too

 

[Braveheart81]

7 out of 23 players is half as many as was being mooted a few weeks ago.

If you look at the Super Rugby sides, they all would need to add between 2 and 4 black players to their lineup to fit with that quota.

The most difficult thing will be managing a system like that within an overall squad and dealing with injuries.

If you've selected a team that passes the quota rule and one black player gets injured and the only option you've got in that position is a white player, do you have to drop one of your other players to allow a lineup that meets the quota conditions?

 

[I like to watch]

Yep, the quota is the quota.
You have to bear in mind,they have been dealing with companies trying to sidestep quotas for near on two decades.
The days of just giving a black guy an impressive title,with no responsibilities hasn't worked for some time,when they assess Black empowerment attainment.
Competitiveness does not come into it.

 

[Tip]

Gotta love some of dat reverse racism.

Where ever there is a quota, is exactly where Australia should not be.

Super 10 come at me

 

[ChargerWA]

So I assume they are now going to also require that 30% of the SA soccer teams are white players?

 

[Pfitzy]

Don't be ridiculous. That's racist* talk.

* racism only applies when white people are apparently gaining advantage

 

[wamberal]

So I assume they are now going to also require that 30% of the SA soccer teams are white players?

Does soccer have a history of banning black or coloured players from their competition?

I am old enough to remember the days of apartheid, and frankly, rugby was at the absolute forefront of that abomination.

It would be a good thing if more black/coloured players could be induced or encouraged to play the game. It is fairly obvious why our history as a sport is against us. All rugby supporters of goodwill and good memories will applaud any measures that might make the game more accessible, and more popular, amongst the black and coloured populations of South Africa.

People who talk about "reverse racism" do not know much about real racism.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Just in response to your last comment Wamberal, bullshit. Excluding, or favouring based on race is real racism. Two wrongs don't make a right. Equal opportunity regardless of race is the only way forward.

 

[southsider]

Wamberal, give yourself a fu*&ing uppercut. It would be fantastic if more black people got involved in rugby, it would be fantastic if ALL people got more involved in rugby, however this should never come at the expense of another persons career or dream just because one guy is born with white skin and another with dark skin. People should be selected on talent PERIOD! I don't care wether a person is black, white, purple or a little spaceman from mars racism is racism and picking one guy over another because of their race is the very definition of racist!!

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Quotas are always a bad idea and this will end in tears for the Saffers. Absolutely no good will come of it.

 

[I like to watch]

Just in response to your last comment Wamberal, bullshit. Excluding, or favouring based on race is real racism. Two wrongs don't make a right. Equal opportunity regardless of race is the only way forward.

That's their point.
Some black kid from a township has nowhere near the same opportunity as a relatively very wealthy white kid who goes to a private school.
Giving them years in lead time,was supposed to galvanise them into investing money and effort into underprivileged communities to help redress the imbalance in opportunities.

 

[southsider]

@I like to watch

using that logic, some white kid from a township has nowhere near the same opportunity as a relatively wealthy black kid who goes to a private school. Sure the former is more common than the latter but the same principle applies. Why not cut the race bullshit out of it and just focus on bringing the game to underprivileged kids in south Africa rather than dividing it up into race. Im sure the underprivileged white kids (or any other race in sth Africa for that matter) would appreciate the opportunities just as much as the black kids

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I think all you can do in this situation is get it right at the grass roots level and provide pathways for any talented kid to make the big time. Selecting based on race at the top or next to top level doesn't help, breeds resentment and eventually drives people away from the game. It's also morally wrong in my view.

 

[I like to watch]

There are no white townships!
Because the whole history of their nation has been built on race.
The whites are the haves,the blacks the have nots.
Underprivileged in SA,means black,to all intents and purposes.
I'm not making any value statements,just describing how it is.

 

[southsider]

ok was a bit loose with my writing, didn't really think it mattered, let me re-phrase...

there are poor white kids in south Africa, it doesn't matter wether they live in townships or not the point still stands. There are still black people in south Africa that have better lives than white people, they may not be in the majority but in todays world you cannot say a blanket statement like "the whites are the haves, the blacks are the have nots" its simply not true for everyone.

 

[Train Without a Station]

That's their point.
Some black kid from a township has nowhere near the same opportunity as a relatively very wealthy white kid who goes to a private school.
Giving them years in lead time,was supposed to galvanise them into investing money and effort into underprivileged communities to help redress the imbalance in opportunities.

Yeah after I posted that I did think that generally, white kids get a head start. Due to virtue of their socio economic status they have access to better schools, etc to best achieve their potential.

That's not due to racial exclusion though. Though in fairness the after effects of apartheid would surely be a major factor.

I just can't help but feel the SARU focussing their attention and junior and grass roots level to ensure that black players aren't disadvantaged due lack of opportunity and access.

Quotas neither help the country as a whole, nor the advantaged player themselves. Teams are forced to pick slightly inferior players and players are left not quite ready because they leap frog players who should be there over them.

 

[TOCC]

Ive read a few books on the apartheid era and modern day racial issues in South Africa, and i think the complexity of the issue makes it vey difficult for Australians to grasp given the extremity of the issue...

Introducing a quota system in Australia could be deemed reverse racism given Australia comparatively has a much smaller equality gap between indigenous australians and white australians, but the complexity of racial issues and equality in South Africa may make it a necessary ruling.

 

[Ruggo]

Ive read a few books on the apartheid era and modern day racial issues in South Africa, and i think the complexity of the issue makes it vey difficult for Australians to grasp given the extremity of the issue.

Introducing a quota system in Australia could be deemed reverse racism given Australia comparatively has a much smaller equality gap between indigenous australians and white australians, but the complexity of racial issues and equality in South Africa may make it a necessary ruling.

Well that depends on what part of Australia you are from.

Reverse racism does hurt. Put yourself in the shoes of the candidate who has put in the most effort to reach a goal, only to have that effort sidelined along ethnic lines. Think of how it effects that person. The person who has put in the hard yards doing the shit grind jobs to work himself into a position where he can strive for something better. As a person who has never cared much for racism and lives a higher standard than it, only to fall victim to it in reverse is a kick in the guts.

 

[TOCC]

Ruggo, i never said reverse racism doesn't hurt
What parts of Australia are like the shanty towns South Africa?

 

[Benaud]

This is a significant cutback on the initial statement that all South African sports teams shall have a minimum of 60% black players effective immediately.

I think the intent is positive - he can see a major issue and attempts to rectify it so far have proved ineffective or at least tardy. So he's trying something radical to attempt to speed it up.

The end goal needs to be to give rich and poor kids as close to equal opportunities as government power allows. It's not achieved by arbitrarily re-jigging the top end. Nor is it achieved overnight. In many respects, the seeds have been sown and progress is being made.

Unfortunately, the 60% minimum signals a racist intent shifting from hopeful equality to hopeful dominance, which he has now had to cloak for the time being. He may not even realise it is racist but his colleagues will.

Introducing quotas for minimum black players reinforces the very racist tendencies it purportedly seeks to overcome. The intent might be good, but the result is terrible. Hopefully the party can reign in the minister before he does too much damage.