Racial Segregation of Sport at UWC

Over the past eight years I have seen the transformation of UWC in terms of physical structure and the demographic composition of their student base. However, two things have stayed the same: the demographic composition of the university staff and how money is spend on the various sports codes.

Rugby who is played and enjoyed by only a handful of students gets the bulk of the resources. Cricket who is played by also a handful receives the second most resources and soccer who is played by the majority of students are receiving the least amount of resources.

What is troubling me is the racial segregation of sport at UWC. For example, rugby is largely dominated by coloured and white students whilst soccer is dominated by black students. Many might have noticed this, and thought of it as a coincidence but I see it otherwise.

Let me ask you this question: Is it a coincidence that the majority of Sport Admin staff is coloured and that sport dominated by coloured students are receiving the best resources and treatment? Given South Africa’s past I do not think this is a coincidence; I think it is racism (whether this racism is intentional or unintentional it is a discussion for another day).

For those of you who do not agree with me let me briefly explain how this is racism (if you after this explanation are not convinced, I would refer you to my manuscript The Runaway Slave). I define racism as the justification of exploitation and/or discrimination of the inferior ‘other’ on the basis of ‘race’.

Discrimination, exploitation and ‘race’ are the golden key words of this definition. ‘Race’ here refers to the classification of people based on their skin, morphology and ancestry with the aim of creating a superior other and an inferior other. So if we consider the ‘development’ of sport at UWC it tends to discriminates against black students, which is the way UWC treat black dominated sports. Black dominated sports do not get enough exposure and prestige as rugby at UWC.

UWC tends to exploit black athletes (generic terms for sportsmen and women) to promote rugby. Budget allocation is skewed in favour of rugby and critic, and neglected is soccer. Every year soccer players literally have to beg the UWC community for money which would allow them to attend USSA events. Sport Admin give these players forms where you can choose how much money you would like to donate. Rugby players do not pay for anything, not even the gym, whereas soccer players have to pay for access to the gym.

In addition, last night (03 February 2014) they asked poor black students living on residence R10 to enter the stadium. According to UWC Online approximately 3500 people attended the match which would amount R35 000. This money will go back into the coffers of rugby. The irony is that black resident students were the ones who filled up the stadium.

Considering this, it is clear that the university Sport Administration are racist towards black athletes, which is a pity if you take Prof Jakes Gerwel’s vision into account. He was the one who opened the doors of this historically ‘coloured’ university to all ‘races’ in South Africa. His vision established this university as the university of the working class; for those who are exploited and discriminated against in society, but it seems like we have become what we never wanted to become. 

Jacob Cloete