Solidarity, AfriForum go legal on racial quotas and govt interference in sport

Solidarity media statement

At a press conference to be held in Pretoria this coming Tuesday, trade union Solidarity and civil rights organisation AfriForum will announce a comprehensive legal strategy to deal with racial quotas and government interference in sport, as well as a strategy to bring political pressure to bear on it.

South Africa's Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula gestures during a news conference in Johannesburg, June 3 2015. South Africa confirmed on Wednesday it had given $10 million meant to help pay for the 2010 World Cup to a soccer official indicted last week in the United States, but said the payment was not a bribe as U.S. prosecutors allege. Mbalula confirmed the contents of a leaked letter from the South African Football Association, which said money originally intended for organizing the 2010 World Cup had been paid directly to former FIFA vice president Jack Warner. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
South Africa’s Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

This comes in the wake of, among other things, the announcement by Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula in late April banning the four main sport federations in South Africa – Athletics SA, the South African Rugby Union (Saru), Cricket SA and Netball SA – from hosting any major international tournament in South Africa as they had not reached their transformation targets.

Solidarity and AfriForum contend that the minister’s statements are highly contentious because, among other things, all international sports bodies prohibit any form of political interference in sport. South African labour legislation, too, prohibits any form of racial quotas.

At the press, the two organisations will also give the media a full rundown of the legal action they intend to institute against the implementation of quotas in South African sport.

Read also: Sara Gon: Fikile Mbalula – The Propaganda Director

Members of the media are hereby cordially invited to attend the press conference.

Date: Tuesday 31 May 2016

Time: 09:00

Venue: Kremetart Boardroom, Solidarity Head Office, corner of D.F. Malan Drive and Eendracht Street, Kloofsig, Centurion.

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