S.A. Cabinet to rule on mixed-race cricket

Press, 3 August 1976, Page 3

S.A. Cabinet to rule on mixed-race cricket

NZPA Pretoria Sportsmen throughout South Africa, and indeed throughout the world, await with great interest the outcome of a Cabinet decision here tomorrow on mixed-race cricket proposals.

With the All Black tour of South Africa and the African boycott of the Olympic Games switching world focus on South Africa’s sporting policies, tomorrow’s meeting is regarded as a vital one.

The cricket question is not the only topic for discussion — the continuing unrest in the black townships and the economic recession are other major issues. But approval of the cricket plan by the Cabinet is seen as vital if South Africa is not to become completely isolated in the sporting arena. White and black cricket administrators have agreed to set up a single cricketing

association, which they hope will earn them their passage back into international cricket.

The cricketers believe that the Minister of Sport (Dr P. Koornhpf), is on their side, but the Cabinet must still give approval and Dr A. Treurnicht, the Deputy Minister of Bantu Administration and Education, has warned of his opposition.

If the decision to allow the cricket proposals to go ahead is favourable it will represent a significant change in Government thinking. Both Dr Koornhof and the Prime Minister (Mr Vorster) have said previously that mixed cricket at club level would never be allowed in South Africa. But with world opinion jolted by happenings at the Montreal Olympics the South African Government is being seen here as possibly ready to relax its previous stand. South Africa has been expelled by the international soccer, swimming, and athletic federations in the last

two weeks, and if Government policies are not relaxed to some degree South Africa will face total sporting isolation. It is already likely that the current All Black tour of South Africa will be the last by a full international side unless policies change. That is why the Cabinet’s decision on mixed cricket is being regarded as crucial Even mixed sport at club level would not be the final step. Black sportsmen want non-racial not multi-racial sport. They want separate white and black clubs to be abolished eventually. The breakthrough for cricket came with the announcement by Mr Hassan Howa, leader of the militant Western Province section of the (non-white) South African Cricket Board of Control of his support for the new moves.

Mr Howa pointed out that the only barrier to South Africa’s re-entry into international cricket now was the South African Government itself. He has said, however,

that three important conditions will have to be met before mixed cricket can finally proceed. There must be: No apartheid facilities at

cricket fields, No permit applications to Government bodies or local authorities, No international tours or membership for international recognition until normal cricket had been introduced.

“If these conditions are not met we will pull out,” he said.

“You can’t expect our cricketers to play with the whites while their families have to use separate entrances and sit in segregated stands.”

What is all-important in the plan, however, is a favourable Cabinet decision tomorrow. If that is forthcoming a meeting will be held later this month between Dr Koornhof and the nine-man motivating committee for mixed cricket to get down to basic details of what is proposed.