Curry adds spice: EskomSePush rebrands into ‘EskomSeKant’

It didn't take creative South Africans long to latch on to what could have been a serious situation and make a joke of it when a (white) English rugby player complained about being racially abused by a (black) Springbok rugby player.

The punchline is that the load-shedding tracking app EskomSePush was rebranded on Thursday as EskomSeKant. 

This came after what seems to have been much ado about nothing when England's flanker Tom Curry could have misinterpreted Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi's mention of “the white [England] side” during the semifinal on Saturday [England wear white]. He was speaking in Afrikaans, as the Springboks usually do during matches. Unfortunately, the Afrikaans word for side is kant (pronounced with a “u”) and Curry thought it was he to whom Mbonambi was referring.

Curry complained to the referee, who wisely parked the matter to be taken up off the field.

Mbonambi was subsequently investigated and his place in the final was at stake for a few anxious hours. However, World Rugby announced early on Thursday that the hooker was off the hook, saying accusations that he had used a racial slur had come to nothing.

“World Rugby has undertaken a review of allegations made by England’s Tom Curry in relation to the use of discriminatory language by South Africa’s Mbongeni Mbonambi ... along with a further allegation brought forward in recent days about a previous match in the Autumn Nations Series 2022,” the ruling body said.

So the Springboks will face off with longtime rugby nemesis New Zealand on Saturday at Stade de France (9pm) with their star hooker in the starting 15.

Social media was abuzz when users joked about how EskomSePush had taken the gap. One user said, “Not 'EskomSeKant' our country isn't serious.”

Here are some social media reactions below:

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