This week has been an eye-opener for many South Africans.
Race relations came to a head once again after Proteas star Lungi Ngidi’s call for Cricket South Africa to stand in support of the Black Lives Matters (BLM) movement was met with opposition from a host of former cricketers.
Boeta Dippenaar, Rudi Steyn and Pat Symcox were the main konyne, with the likes of Brian McMillan also shouting down an issue that is sweeping the world.
How they could turn a blind eye to it or not even acknowledge it was more than disappointing.
These manne are South African and in our country, with our history, nothing should be more obvious.
STAND TALL, STAND PROUD: Proteas speedster Lungi Ngidi
When crowing that All Lives Matter, they must realise that their stance only holds true when everyone’s life does matter.
Most of those ou-Proteas must realise that they played their part in SA cricket when only whites were allowed to represent the country. It was an abnormal society.
Their black, coloured and Indian colleagues only got the chance once apartheid was abolished.
And for those people of colour to hear that “the country has gone to the dogs” because the game is not governed by whites or that transformation is the reason for bad results, it would certainly make me feel like I’m unworthy in their sight.
Underpinning all of this anti-
racism stuff is the idea that all human life has inherent dignity.
People need to be respected - seen, heard and acknowledged. Everything else flows from that.
I’m going to try and make a point of the Springboks and their World Cup win last year.
I’m going to say that the Bokke got it right - whether something comes to light down the line that ruins it all, let me say this now.
Making Siya Kolisi captain was an incredibly powerful statement.
STRONGER TOGETHER: Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and 2019 heroes
While some can still look at this and only see window dressing, think of Kolisi’s story.
Growing up with nothing in a township, raised by his grandmother in a hokkie is still the reality for too many South Africans.
But he had the talent and drive that was nurtured in the best
possible way to give him the strength to take his chance.
Kolisi and his other “quota” teammates, showed fans and detractors alike that if you show people that they matter, they can achieve anything.
We must all stand in solidarity with one another, whatever your creed or colour, to make SA better. And Black Lives Matter is not exclusive if you can see the humanity in the next person.
At a time when there is a novel virus pandemic killing people indiscriminately around the globe, we really must realise that, yes, all lives do matter.
It should be obvious that we are all one when a killer without a brain knows that people living here, in the USA, Europe and China are all the same.
So why do we still have people out here and around the world talking about each other like we are not on the same team?
Why in 2020 are there still South Africans who don’t get if you aren’t part of the solution, you are part of the problem?.
This country has come a long way, but it’s obvious that we still have a long way to go.
Yes, all lives matter. But you have to give almal their kans before you can truly say it.
matthew.marcus@inl.co.za