by Alan Robertson 22nd July 2009
I recently returned from South Africa where I had a short holiday with my son. We were based in Cape Town at the time of the British Lions tour to South Africa. During our stay we made a visit to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent most of his jail sentence along side many other political prisoners.
On my return I read in the South Wales Echo that Mr Hanef Bhamjee O.B.E. was to travel to South Africa to receive the prestigious “Mahatma Ghandi” award for reconciliation and peace. When we were on Robben Island we met a former political prisoner who knew Hanef and his work, he was now acting as a tour guide and indeed lived on the island, and was a former member of the banned Pan African congress.
I explained to him that I had met Hanef Bhamji on a few occasions over the years and was well aware of the work he had done in organising the growth of the South Wales Anti – Apartheid movement in South Wales from the time he came to Wales in 1972. I told him that Hanef had received the O.B.E. for his services to race relations, the charity and voluntary sector and for developing the Wales Anti – Apartheid movement. In fact he was still serving as secretary of the Anti – Poverty Group for Southern Africa.
I explained that both my son and myself had played rugby for a team in Cardiff who were formed in 1946 and whose whole being was based on multi – racial and religious tolerance. Cardiff International Athletic Club, known my most as the C.I.A.C.s was formed by black servicemen who had returned from fighting for this country in World War II. The C.I.A.C. badge incorporates the clasping of black and white hands and the club motto is “UNUS ET IDEM”, meaning “ONE AND THE SAME”.
He was amazed that this could have been possible at a time when the Apartheid laws were being introduced in South Africa, I am in the process of sending him a club polo shirt which hopefully he will wear and make future visitors aware of the significance of the badge.
My son and myself also toured the area and our guide again was a mine of information, he was an articulate Asian man who had been through the Apartheid years. We talked about the transition from Apartheid policy to Democratic freedom and it’s positives and negatives. I told him that I had marched through the streets of Cardiff in 1969 in protest at the touring of the white only South African team. 12,000 people marched through Cardiff that day including Trade Unions, Church groups, Student groups, the Wales Anti – Apartheid movement and of course the C.I.A.Cs.
There is an image from that day that has always stayed in my mind. Banners had been made for the march and one in particular was designed by the Murrell family. It showed a black hand on a rugby ball on the try line and the banner read “DON,T DENY THEIR RIGHT TO TRY”
He wanted us to know how important this was to them and how instrumental sporting isolation was in breaking down the Apartheid system. The Apartheid laws although only framed after 1948 had been in force in Rugby Union unofficially for many years. New Zealand excluding George Nepia from their team in 1928,this was a high profile example. In 1976 South Africa toured New Zealand and this attracted great criticism, 28 countries boycotted the Summer Olympics. The world’s conscience had been stirred but sadly the Rugby Union authorities largely ignored this. In 1977 the “Gleneagles” agreement was signed which discouraged sporting contact. In defiance New Zealand invited South Africa to tour in 1981 where massive civil disruption took place.
The ensuing sporting isolation hurt the white South African sporting psyche, he stressed that one of the pillars of the Apartheid policy was white sporting supremacy particularly in rugby union where the Afrikaans were dominant. They tried to counteract the sporting isolation by tempting “Mercenary Teams” to visit South Africa. The South American “Jaguars” toured in the early 1980s and in 1986 the New Zealand “Cavaliers” came to South Africa against the wishes of the New Zealand Rugby Union” On their return they were banned from representing the “All Blacks” for 2 games. In 1989 a “World XV” approved by the International Rugby Board toured South Africa, shamefully the largest contingent were from Wales, 10 players then 8 French, 6 Aussies, 4 English, 1 Scot and 1 Irishman. They were widely believed to have received substantial secret payments in offshore currencies, this at a time when Rugby Union was supposedly an amateur sport.
Our guide was adamant that we should know what happened next and I must admit I did not. An important breakthrough took place in achieving multi – racial rugby union, this against a backdrop of Apartheid which translated means separateness.In 1988 Dr Danie Craven, South Africa’s most prominent administrator, then Chairman of the South African Rugby board had seen South Africa isolated from genuine sporting contact with the rest of the world. He made an unprecedented move when he met leaders of the banned ANC, the African National Congress in Zimbabwe. The Afrikaners especially, to whom Rugby Union was a symbol of power saw this as an act of treason. Although denounced by the then President P.W.Botha Dr Craven agreed to form a single Rugby association fielding an integrated team for foreign tournaments.
In 1990 – 1991 after the release of Nelson Mandela the legal apparatus of apartheid was abolished and in 1992 South Africa were re – admitted to International rugby. At the end of the trip our guide asked us to thank those who tried to make a difference. I have written this letter in the hope that some who did will see that they were appreciated. I personally only took part in one march but other C.I.A.C. families continued to support the Anti – Apartheid movement in South Wales and further a field until it was dismantled. I will not name them but they know who they are and they should be proud.
After coming home and having a period of reflection is everything now positive in the new South Africa? Of course not, they have 43% unemployment and are in recession as we are.It is still a society of great wealth imbalance and crime is a sensitive and growing problem. They have already achieved miracles with the peaceful transition to a genuine multi – racial, multi – party democracy founded on human rights. The Truth and Reconciliation committees are seen as a blueprint and are credited in some part in bringing peace to Northern Ireland. In Nelson Mandela they have an Icon who embraced those who persecuted him and who is today the most respected figure in the world. They may or may not succeed in moving this beautiful country forward but as Mrs Beattie Murrell and her families banner proclaimed in 1969 they do have “THE RIGHT TO TRY”
CIACS 2009 / 2010 season
Come and play rugby for the CIAC'S. Based in Cardiff Bay, Butetown, Grangetown and the Docks area we play in the Cardiff and District Premier League. We run senior, mini and junior teams. The is also an excellent social scene. Famous ex players include rugby league Legend Billy Boston . Join our FACEBOOK group. Contact info@ciacs.co.uk for any info.View our fixtures for 2009-2010.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment