EP's troubled history
Seldom in union
The Eastern Province Rugby Football Union has been plunged into disgraceful turmoil, but disunion is nothing new for Eastern Province. Paul Dobson looks at the past troubles in Eastern Cape rugby.
Of course, it should be a powerful rugby union, based on a big city with lots of rugby-inclined infrastructure. Of course, it has men who could run a big union successfully.
The men who could run a successful union are not running it and there is now the union, not for the first time, making an unhappy spectacle of itself.
There were, as throughout the country, the ethnically based divisions in Eastern Province rugby. There were the bodies affiliated to the SA Rugby Board, the SA Coloured Rugby Board, the SA Bantu Rugby Board, which was later renamed the SA African Rugby Board, the SA Rugby Federation and then SARU which replaced the SA Coloured Rugby Board as a non-racial body.
During World War II, the union affiliated to the SA Rugby Board fell into disunity when a body of clubs, led by John Vorster and Andrew Rabie, broke away for form Oos-Kaapland Rugbybond. The reason for the split then was a refusal to make a contribution to the Governor-general's War Funds. The split was political and "healed" when the War was over.
In 1969 the SA African Rugby Board held a chaotic tournament in Umtata. Imvo Zabantsundu, the famous newspaper, reported: Players were absent, players arrived. Players played, players walked off. Matches were on, matches were cancelled. Officials resigned, new officials were elected, officials were expelled, officials were reinstated."
Some prominent people were expelled, including Curnick Mdyesha, Norris Singapi and Alfred Dwesi, but the expulsions were set aside at a hearing of the Supreme Court in March 1970. Grant Khomo then became president.
There were other squabbles and other court cases.
One squabble led to the formation of Kwaru (the Kwazakhele Rugby Union). The argument started when the Spring Rose club, chaired by the late Dan QeQe, wanted a match postponed to attend the funeral of Eric Majola. The upshot was that clubs broke away from the Port Elizabeth African Rugby Board and formed Kwaru which was led by Mono Badela and affiliated to SARU.
In 1977 Kwaru got rid of Badela on the grounds of misappropriation of funds. The new chairman was Dumile Kondile, now a judge. Kwaru asked for the return of property and said that "the finances of Kwaru were chaotic".
In 1982 there was another split when Amon Nyondo opposed Silas Nkanunu. This produced a split of ridiculous proportions. On 19 March 1982 two matches took place on the same field at the same time – four teams, two referees and so on.
Nkanunu's faction had obtained a court order forbidding Nyondo's faction from playing on the field in Zwide. Fanie Headbush, a star player in his day, arrived as messenger of the court and tried to read out the court order but Nyondo's people chased him away.
There were other court actions but worse was yet to come.
Some time afterwards there was fighting at the stadium in Zwide Township. The two factions fought. Axes and cars were used as weapons and six people were killed on that afternoon.
That was the lowest point of all.
Often disagreements were really fuelled by money and accusations about money. Now there is a lot more money – more to disagree about.
All this is far worse than other reasons for difference within the union – black and white, town and gown, factory worker and white colour worker, English and Afrikaans.
Is it really a rugby union?
