Springbok Emblem does unite South Africa

It is ironic that yesterday Butana Komphela, proclaimed, with a fair degree of arrogance, that he could not find one piece of empirical evidence to support the notion that the Springbok was a unifying force within South Africa.

Ironic, because today, just 24 hours later, that little emblem has unified a nation against Mr Komphela and his ideas.

Today the ANC and the Democratic Alliance – so both the governing party and the opposition, came out in support of the Springbok emblem, saying that insufficient debate had taken place to make any decisions as to its future.

Whereas yesterday Mr Komphela had said that there the discontinuation of the Springbok emblem was “not negotiable”, today he might be contemplating that he had in fact NOT negotiated with ANYONE prior to raising his voice in such an incredulous manner.

One must wonder just how a person can misjudge the mood of the country? Especially when that person is the chairman of the Sports Portfolio Committee. I have to therefore wonder what his function and responsibility actually is? To my mind, and this is a personal opinion, but he has over stepped the mark and embarked on a strictly personal agenda in this venture – and for a public servant to act in their own interests and not that of the people they are representing, must surely warrant that person being removed from their office?

The Springbok emblem has been around for more than 100 years. It was around BEFORE Mr Komphela was born, and I suspect that it will be around for a long time after he has gone…