Party takes Mbalula, Saru to court in bid to stop Springboks
Johannesburg - A little-known political party is dragging Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula and the SA Rugby Union (Saru) to court on Tuesday to try and stop the Springboks from competing in the rugby World Cup next month.
The Agency for New Agenda party, formerly known as South Africa First, and its president Edward Mahlomola Mokhoanatse, will be in the North Gauteng High Court seeking an urgent order to compel Saru and sports department officials to surrender their passports so they cannot travel.
He says although much has been done to transform the country, "some citizens resist such transformation and continue to practise activities, acts and conduct that are premised on unfair discrimination based on ... race".
He adds that the national rugby team's selection criteria are "racially exclusionary" and biased in favour of whites.
He adds that Mbalula has failed to transform rugby and any argument Saru presents to justify its failure to transform the sport should "be treated with disdain".