Mourie to visit South Africa

Press, 24 November 1980, Page 1

Mourie to visit South Africa

PA New Plymouth The All Black captain, Graham Mourie, will go to South Africa early next year at the invitation of the South African newspaper, “Die Transvaler.” Mourie, who received the invitation at the weekend had announced that he would not play against the Springboks in New Zealand next winter. He said he would not play because he disagreed with the racial policies of South Africa and because of the effect he believed the Springbok tour would have on New Zealand.

“I will go when I get the chance — within three months,” Mourie said

from his Opunake farm yesterday.

*1 have so much to do here on the farm — it’s the busy time of the year — and I have just had five weeks away.” He said he would go to South Africa with an open mind.

“What 1 see there may alter the balance of my view but it will not answer the question completely,” he said. “The reason I chose not to play against ;he Springboks was only partly concerned with what is happening in South Africa.

Mourie would not say what particular aspects of South Africa he would like to see.

“It is not much good going with a lot of public-

ity about what I want to see,” he said.

He had been under considerable pressure since his announcement last week, he said. He had received numerous telephone calls from South African newspapers as well as from the New Zealand news media. “I' did not make my decision thinking it would be universally acclaimed,” he said. “Obviously, it is a very debatable issue and I do not want to get involved in debate.” Mourie said the decision to visit South Africa had been difficult to make.

“If I do not go, some people would say I am prepared to criticise South Africa without being prepared to go and see for