MP asks: did Ashwin Willemse walk out over racism, or clash of opinion?
‘The incident … should be addressed speedily‚ as it has invoked much emotion. We condemn racism in sport in all its manifestations’
Was Ashwin Willemse’s walkout from a SuperSport broadcast the result of a difference of opinion or racial discrimination? This is the question that the chairperson of parliament’s portfolio committee on sport‚ Beauty Dlulane‚ asked on Monday. She described the incident, involving rugby commentators Willemse‚ Naas Botha and Nick Mallet, as unfortunate and called for a speedy resolution. "The incident is concerning and should be addressed speedily‚ as it has invoked much emotion. We condemn racism in sport in all its manifestations‚ as it has the potential to polarise society‚" said Dlulane. "South Africans should be circumspect in commenting on this matter‚ and should allow the investigation to proceed and reach a conclusion. "As things are‚ everyone is venturing an opinion about a matter on which we lack details." On Saturday‚ Willemse stated on live television that he would not tolerate being patronised by people who played rugby during the apartheid era. Before walking off set‚ he...
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