AfriForum today launched a comprehensive campaign against ABSA after this bank demanded from the South African Rugby Union (SARU) that fewer white rugby players should participate in the Currie Cup Series.  AfriForum's campaign involves a petition against ABSA which can be found at the website www.afriforum.co.za, as well as an electronic campaign which will be conducted by means of SMSs, e-mail and on Facebook.  A Facebook page, with the name ‘Stop ABSA kwotas/quotas' has also been created.

According to Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, ABSA's actions speak of double standards and discrimination. "As team sponsor of Bafana Bafana, ABSA did not say a word when this soccer team participated with black players only in the FIFA World Cup Tournament. Now however, as rugby sponsor, they want to prescribe the manner in which rugby teams should be selected," Kriel added. Kriel pointed out that ABSA's actions are a slap in the face of this bank's white clients.

Kriel stated that AfriForum will ask to meet with ABSA, and at such a meeting the signatures of petitioners against ABSA's actions will be handed to the bank's management. Should ABSA refuse to desist from its discrimination against whites, AfriForum will launch a boycott against ABSA, Kriel said. The fact that 34 450 fewer people this year visited the former Pretoria Show, after AfriForum's boycott action because of this show's decision to change its name to the Tshwane Show, according to Kriel proved that the public is increasingly prepared to make their money speak on behalf of what is right. "Unless ABSA puts this matter right, the public will also make their money speak against ABSA," Kriel warned.

According to Kriel, ABSA's discrimination against whites is regarded in a serious light, as the bank has whites and Afrikaans-speakers to thank for its establishment. "ABSA first started turning its back on its traditional client base by scaling down on services in Afrikaans, and now it is even prepared to discriminate blatantly against whites."

Kriel reconfirmed that AfriForum is in favour of sport development in all communities and called on ABSA rather to promote rugby development further, than to enforce racial quotas.

Statement issued by Kallie Kriel, CEO: AfriForum, September 17 2010

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