SA Council on Sport honoured 50 years on —

“No normal sport in an abnormal society” has been the slogan of the SA Council on Sport (SACOS) since its inception in 1973.

And now, 50 years later, the organisation continues to celebrate the work it did.

Mervin Blaauw, chair of the Gqeberha branch of the NonRacial Sport History Project (NRSHP), said the celebratory events were not aimed at reviving SACOS — but to honour it.

“The NRSHP was started by lecturers at Wits [University], and sportsmen and women in Johannesburg, to prepare for the 50th anniversary celebrations.

“We held a meeting in October last year to discuss the events,” he said.

“We are doing this to acknowledge and remember the work that SACOS has done.

“We were established in 1973, and as we grew, the apartheid government regarded us as the enemy because we believed that normal sports cannot be played in an abnormal society. We believed that we would not play sports against or with our white counterparts while not even having voting rights.”

He said they worked hard as an organisation, but were pushed aside after the National Sports Council (NSC) was formed.

Retired teacher and education department official Dr Lizette Oosthuizen said that there was a reason for the slogan “No normal sport in an abnormal society”.

“SACOS worked hard to promote the nonracial sport.

“It led to a greater awareness of apartheid.”

Community leader Richard Draai said SACOS was the body that played a massive role in giving value to everyone’s life, especially the sportsmen and women.

“Our sports heroes have made many sacrifices to improve the sports situation on and off the field.

“SACOS never should have ceased to exist because an organisation like this is needed today.”

Astra Primary School principal Helma Boggenpoel agreed.

“After SACOS was disbanded, and after the unification process, we just lost control of our sport in the northern areas.

“Sport under SACOS was played to benefit everyone.

“We had sporting heroes like Kenny March, who demonstrated good values.

“If we had successful leaders like them today, the country would have been much better.”

Blaauw said the first celebratory event had been a 5km Fun Walk on Saturday from the House of Resurrection in Salsoneville.

Similar walks were held in Cape Town, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

He said in addition the NRSHP members in Gqeberha decided to visit schools in the northern areas where sports were no longer played.

“We went to the schools and asked how we can help them.

“This is the reason for all the social ills at schools — there is no sport to provide an outlet to them for all their energy,” he said. Blaauw said together with Arnold Jordaan, they visited Chapman, Gelvandale and St Thomas Secondary schools to offer their services.

“In the northern areas, we have a wealth of experienced sports people that are willing to help schools bring sports back. We want to make a difference.

“People might think that we are all druggies and gangsters but we are educated, and in years gone by, we were a force to be reckoned with in sport,” Blaauw said.

The local NRSHP has planned a symposium in July where avid sportspeople can give accounts of their struggle to promote nonracial sport during the apartheid years.