Finally, a minister of sport in South Africa with an appreciation of sport, the power of sport to unify, and an individual with no interest in playing selector, evoking hysteria or trumpeting perceptions in the guise of fact.
Finally, in Zizi Kodwa, a minister who sees excellence, sees unity and does not seek to divide along racial lines, be it in sport, arts or culture.
It has taken close to 30 years to get to this point. Salute to a minister, so connected to his portfolio and one who is an inspiration with his clarity in communication and also his unashamed cheerleading when it comes to telling South Africa’s success story in sports, arts and culture.
Kodwa, whose X following is 250,000, praised the new Springbok coaching appointments: “I welcome the new appointments to the @Springboks technical team. I encourage them to continue the path to elevate SA Rugby. I applaud the appointment of recently retired Bok legend Duane Vermeulen, which signifies a key pathway to coaching and sports administration for ex-players.”
The comments were predictable in attacking him for endorsing white people and not questioning why no black appointments were made.
His response was calm and to the point: “These are new appointments. Mzwandile Stick remains assistant coach.” As does Deon Davids.
Earlier Kodwa had thanked Rassie Erasmus for continuing with the Springboks and immediately endorsed the possibility of a third successive Springbok World Cup title.
More than 20 years ago, on the eve of the Springboks Test against the All Blacks at Newlands, the then sports minister Ngconde Balfour had summoned the then Springboks coach Harry Viljoen to an urgent meeting on the lack of transformation in the match 22.
I was present at the meeting as Boks communication manager and adviser to Harry, specifically on the issue of transformation.
I detailed the encounter in my book: Springbok Rugby Uncovered, published in 2004, and in summary of the chapter the meeting went as such: the minister said he was happy with what he was seeing with regards to transformation in Super Rugby but not at Test level. It was pointed out to him that there were four players of colour in the four Super Rugby squads collectively out of a possible 120. Three of them played wing.
How could he be happy with that?
There were no colour-coded political games played between a minister of sport, SA Rugby and the Springbok coach.
There were four players of colour in the Boks match 22, with utility back Conrad Jantjies picked out of the under 20s, such was the belief in his potential.
The meeting ended a few minutes later and the minister would publicly endorse Harry’s commitment to transformation. Back then it was a typical day in South African rugby and sports politics. Sanity, in telling the story, was second to sensational statements, however ill-formed the statements.
Back then Harry had included two Australian coaches in his technical team. It was the equal of blasphemy.
In 2024, this has all changed, on the political front and also when it comes to Bok-suited foreigners.
Siya Kolisi is the captain of the Boks, a two-time World Cup winner, and 50% of world champions Boks are players of colour.
Stick and Davids remain integral to the power of this Bok coaching set-up and there was no hesitation from Erasmus, or resistance from the bosses of SA Rugby, to limit his technical appointments to South Africans.
Equally, there were no colour-coded political games played between a minister of sport, SA Rugby and the Springbok coach.
Erasmus believes in Ireland’s Flannery because he worked with him at Munster. There is respect for what he can bring to the Boks, as a defensive coach, and as a former international who played 41 times for Ireland, 93 matches for Munster and six for Connacht when he started his career in 2001.
New Zealander Tony Brown is another appointment made on giving South Africa an edge that they did not have in terms of a specialist attack coach.
Brown played 18 Tests as a flyhalf for the All Blacks and 209 matches for the Highlanders (83), Otago (71), Sanyo Wild Knights (40), Sharks (8) and Stormers (7) between 1996 and 2011.
Erasmus worked with him at the Stormers.
Brown is among the most sought-after attack coaches in the game. All Blacks coach Scott Robertson wanted him as part of the All Blacks, but Brown chose to stay loyal to Jamie Joseph with the Japanese national team.
He is one of a select group who transitioned from player to coach in the year of his retirement as a player. He has coached the Highlanders, Otago, the Sunwolves and assisted at the Wild Knights, the Highlanders and Japan.
Erasmus has lured two jewels to his Bok treasure chest in Brown and Flannery and the reaction from minister Kodwa was that of a leader who gets what it takes to make the treasure chest even more valuable.
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