‘No ANC call for Meyer to remain’

SPORTS Minister Fikile Mbalula has distanced himself and the ANC from suggestions that they want Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer to be retained.

[caption id="attachment_84868" align="alignright" width="200"] FIKILE MBALULA[/caption]

He said it was his job to support the coach, whoever it might be.

Meyer’s job is on the line after failing to win the World Cup and embarrassing losses to Argentina and Japan this year.

However, Meyer said last weekend that the ANC was on his side, despite mounting pressure for him to vacate the job.

Speaking at Sascoc House in Johannesburg yesterday, Mbalula said: “The ANC issued a statement to say that the Springboks did well.

“I reiterate that indeed they did well and I salute that bunch of Springbok players.

“They are definitely not a bunch of losers.

“But don’t misconstrue the support we gave the coach at the World Cup to mean that we want the coach to remain.

“That would be wrong because that is not our call but Saru’s [SA Rugby Union].

“There is no ANC that said Meyer must remain as coach and neither did I as the minister say so.

“Even if they appointed [deputy sports minister] Gert Oosthuizen to be Bok coach, I’d support him. It is my job.

“If the federation tomorrow decides that a certain coach does not serve us well, I cannot say ‘no, keep him’.

“I don’t select players and I don’t coach – the Olympic charter does not allow me to do that,” Mbalula said.

“If Shakes Mashaba is selected as the [Bafana Bafana] coach then I will support that coach, and if Heyneke Meyer is selected, I support the coach.

“Saru appoints coaches and it will determine [next month] whether a coach is employed or not,” he said. Saru’s general council will decide on December 4 whether or not to retain Meyer’s services, but speculation suggests he secured a four-year extension before the international season started.

On criticism that he had failed to ensure that Meyer selected a more racially representative team for the World Cup, Mbalula said: “Transformation is non- negotiable  ...

“This issue was not addressed in the last 20 years, the way we are attending to it now.

“I was clear on May 18 that when the Springboks go to the World Cup they will not achieve these demographics.

“To some sections of our society transformation is only an issue when there is a World Cup.

“I’ve been grappling with this issue since I became minister and took it to the Sports Indaba that adopted a comprehensive approach.

“I will never agree that a black player must be selected ahead of a talented white player because he is black.

“Siya Kolisi plays in his team [the Stormers] week in and week out. Is he not selected on merit? It is merit.

“The challenges that face us are not in changing the faces but in transforming the system.”

Mbalula said he would have a meeting with Saru before or after its general council meeting to find out how it was going to resolve certain issues.

“We have a transformation agreement that they must implement,” he said.

Four players of colour were in the Springbok’s match 23 that lost the semifinal against eventual champions the All Blacks and only eight were in the wider 31-man squad.

-  Sbu Mjikeliso