The South African Rugby Union (Saru) has accused political party Agency for New Agenda (ANA) of being ignorant, vexatious and using rugby as a tool to further their political goals.
The party’s application, aimed at forcing President Jacob Zuma to appoint a commission of inquiry into the transformation of rugby and getting rid of the Springbok emblem altogether, will be heard in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria in February next year.
In papers filed in opposition to the application, Saru president Oregan Hoskins said the application was brought with such shocking disregard for, and ignorance of, Saru’s commitment to transformation, it should be dismissed with a punitive costs order.
He pointed out that Saru’s commitment was evident from, among others, the tri-partite agreement on transformation concluded earlier this year between Sport and Recreation South Africa, Saru and the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee.
Hoskins described ANA’s legal bid as “feeble” and pointed out that the party’s leader, Edward Mokhoanatse, had practically conceded they were using rugby as a tool to further political goals.
