Public says no to quotas in sport; Solidarity to meet with minister

Solidarity today welcomed reports that the controversial new quota system in sport would, for now, be postponed and says talk about a proposed new system was nothing else but electioneering. Sport minister Fikile Mbalula has meanwhile called a meeting with Solidarity to discuss the trade union's objections. Through the submission of around 52 000 petitions accompanied by a memorandum, Solidarity will put it to the minister that quotas, be it in the work place or on sports fields, are unacceptable and will be challenged.

Johan Kruger, Solidarity spokesperson, says Mbalula's sudden announcement and the urgency accompanying the matter are typical of the ruling party's attempts to divert attention from other major issues such as Nkandla. ‘However, it is encouraging that Mbalula is prepared to meet with Solidarity and other concerned parties about the issue so soon. It is clear that public resistance to his announcement paid dividends, forcing the minister to reconsider the implementation of the new quotas and to first obtain input from interested parties. This is a refreshing change in government's untransparent attitude towards affirmative action and its continued reluctance to enter into a meaningful debate on it. In its meeting with the minister, Solidarity will point out to the minister that this is in essence a labour issue and that the proposed quota system is in direct contravention of the Employment Equity Act.'

Kruger says at next week's meeting a comprehensive memorandum with, among others, legal argument will be handed to the minister for his consideration. ‘We have already made it clear that the trade union would not hesitate to challenge the matter in the Labour Court or in the Equality Court. We are appealing to sportsmen and women to approach the trade union if they are being or will in future be disadvantaged by quotas. Although the issue of affirmative action ultimately has to be dealt with through healthy debate and a redesign of the model in its entirety, the trade union has no choice but to challenge the issue in the courts because government relentlessly continues to implement its ideology of racial representivity in all spheres.'

Solidarity has already collected around 52 000 petitions from concerned citizens who demand that quotas be stopped. The petitions are enough to fill all Loftus Versfeld's seats. Solidarity set this number as goal because a stadium full of voices going up is also symbolic of all sports bodies and institutions, players, sports fans and supporters in South Africa who want to make their voices heard against quotas in sport. The support of members of the public for Solidarity's campaign against quotas is indicative of people who are fed up with government's purely racial approach and its social engineering.

Statement issued by Johan Kruger, Spokesperson: Solidarity, April 16 2014

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