The Springboks oppose Malema’s agenda
The diverse rugby team, with players from various backgrounds, demonstrates that improvements are possible through collective effort.
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Julius Malema’s reversal on backing the four-time world champion Springboks is more cynical than Tom Eaton’s article described.
Malema, one of the sharpest post-Mandela ANC leaders, correctly gauges the current leadership crisis. Cyril Ramaphosa’s political prospects are bleak, and he’s merely going through the motions. Malema seizes the chance to act before a new coalition leadership emerges.
Malema perceived the Springboks’ World Cup victory as a potential challenge, as it showcased the positive change that can occur when people of different backgrounds, black and white, come together with a shared goal and commitment.
Nelson Mandela’s reconciliation with the white minority after 1993, and the emphasis on a diverse South Africa, contradicted the views of some within the ANC who used the notion of a white “bogeyman” to rally the majority population. Malema, however, is well-versed in grievance politics. The Springboks’ success challenges the very basis of race-centered politics.