While political leaders around the world pay tribute to Nelson Mandela who died on Friday, New Zealand had a special relationship with South Africa. The South Africans are just as crazy about rugby as New Zealanders.
One reason for New Zealand’s special relationship is connected with rugby. During the years of the apartheid government in South Africa, Mandela was in prison for 28 years, for trying to bring equality to black people. This was a time of sports and trade boycotts by the west to try to stop apartheid. In 1964, South Africa was banned from the Tokyo Olympics. It was also banned from international cricket, football and rugby because in South Africa, white people did not play sport with black people. Apartheid means separate.
In 1981, New Zealand invited the Springboks to New Zealand for a rugby tour. The Springboks were a team of white South Africans. This invitation looked as though we supported apartheid although some people said it was important to “build bridges” between the two countries. However, a great many people were angry and there were huge protests. There were so many protesters on the field at one game, that the game could not continue.
Another reason for the special relationship is also connected with rugby. In 1995, soon after Nelson Mandela became President, the Rugby World Cup was held in South Africa. The New Zealand All Blacks played the South African Springboks in the final. The score was 12-all when the whistle blew for the end of the game. However, in extra time, the Springboks won. Nelson Mandela, dressed in a Springbok uniform, presented the cup to the winning team and said that the animal, the springbok, would stay as the symbol of South Africa. The springbok is a very fast antelope.
The end of apartheid came soon after 1990.
Listen to May 16th 2010 to hear more about the Springbok tour of New Zealand. This is an important time in NZ’s recent history.
Vocabulary
- pay tribute – praise someone in public
- trade boycott – countries refused to buy South African goods
- ban – not allowed
- present a cup (note stress on second syllable of the verb) – give a cup in a formal ceremony
Question
Why do you think it was important for Mandela to accept the springbok as the symbol of South Africa?