GLRU: We are very active in Soweto

Claims by the newly-formed Soweto Rugby Union that nothing is being done for the underprivileged in the sprawling township has been dismissed.

First conceptualised during the Soweto Sports Indaba of 2013 and then registered as a proprietary limited company in September last year, the SRU see themselves as a "township or a rural union that will give opportunities to the disadvantaged".

SRU secretary Zola Ntlokoma told rugby365 in an interview this week that he believes that many township-based clubs would make similar transitions over time – because their needs are not being catered for by the establishment.

This has been rubbished by Kevin de Klerk, President of the Golden Rugby Union, who has had several run-ins with Ntlokoma's Soweto Rugby Club in recent years.

Ntlokoma, who serves as secretary of both the newly-formed SRU and the SRC (established in 1992), claimed the SRU was formed because of a need to "address the imbalances caused by the injustices and dishonesty by implementing the 1992 National Sports Unity Talks".

"How can we support a system which has used 'black' faces to legitimise an unsavoury and duplicitous history?," the Soweto official said.

"How can we support a system which has even taken away the simple joy of viewing a rugby match from the masses [from the national broadcaster to a pay-TV station]?"

However, De Klerk said that while anybody can register a name, such as the Soweto Rugby Union (Pty) Ltd, it is not a union without gain and it does not fulfil any of the requirements in terms of the GLRU and South African Rugby Union constitutions – nor that of the IRB for that matter.

"There are so many requirements in terms of your fields, coaches and the players," De Klerk told rugby365, adding: "Then there are the safety aspects, such as [the] BokSmart [requirements].

"Will these people be properly trained to run the game?. As we all know, there are so many aspects that must be in place before you even consider running a union."

However, it was Ntlokoma's references to 1992 issues and claims that not enough is being done for Soweto clubs that rankled most with the GLRU boss.

"I noted, with interest the statements he made about what happened in 1992," De Klerk said, adding: "I am not sure why this is being raised 20-odd years later?

"If they have issues with what happened all those years ago, they must go confront SARU [who facilitated the unity talks back then] about it.

"It beats me how they attack the events of 1992 [transformation and unity talks], which were initiated by [apartheid activist] Bill Jardine, the father of my current Deputy President Neville Jardine."

While the GLRU have taken a 'wait-and-see' approach to the formation of the SRU – because not enough information is available on their agenda and plans of action – the Ellis Park-based union will continue to operate within the parameters of their and the SARU constitutions.

De Klerk said he wants to make it abundantly clear they are not against transformation in any shape or form.

"If somebody comes up with an idea that works we will support it fully,"he said, adding: "We currently have numerous programmes in place in Soweto, through SARU and ourselves.

"They [SRC/SRU] are not the only rugby entity in Soweto.

"We have many other clubs in Soweto, as well as schools," he said – listing the Jabulani Rugby Club and Naledi High School among ongoing projects.

"There are numerous programmes we are rolling out there [Soweto].

"It is all in line with the development charter that SARU put forward, with the [target of] 50-50 [black representation] that needs to be reached by 2019.

"We are working vigorously to achieve those goals, as laid out in the SARU charter."

De Klerk admitted there are still "enormous" disadvantages that have to be eradicated.

"You just look at the lack of facilities at schools, then you look at [the lack of] players and coaches.

"There are a host of things that have to be put in place first – we are striving, through co-operation with SARU, to get the funding to achieve those goals."

The GLRU boss said that despite having sat through numerous meetings with Ntlokoma in the past six years he still struggles to understand what the SRC want or hoping to achieve.

By Jan de Koning

@King365ed

@rugby365com