The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, honours the memory of Mr. Frank van der Horst who led the struggle for equality in sport during some of South Africa’s darkest years, particularly the brutal 1980s.
The Minister joins President Cyril Ramaphosa in sending his deep condolences to the family of the anti-apartheid activist and former President of the South African Council on Sport (SACOS), who passed away at the age of 86.
The Minister recalls the realisation in his own youth of how he had to make a choice against his own participation in sport, because there was no clearer symbol of apartheid segregation than sport. Where other countries were fielding teams representative of only their very best, South Africa was fielding teams of only their very whitest.
Frank van der Horst and the many millions who stood with him said no. The establishment of SACOS in 1973 by a small group of sports administrators from oppressed communities within the nine federations, was central to that fight. When Mr Van der Horst took over the leadership of SACOS in 1982, he amplified the voice of those communities most loudly and their work shook the establishment so much that eventually it had to fall.
“We must never forget their example,” says the Minister.
“Thanks to his work and those who worked with him despite great personal difficulty and sacrifice in those turbulent years. Today, South Africa finds itself at the foothills of freedom,” added Minister McKenzie.
“We are no longer in the pits he fought to free us from, but there is still so much to do on the journey towards building a unified, and powerful country, which is the legacy that Frank van der Horst gave the best years of his life for as a gift to all of us, whatever racial label we might feel applies to us (or doesn’t),” says the Minister.
“The day these labels no longer have any power whatsoever, that will be the day we are truly free, and thankfully we are making progress.”
“In this new Government of National Unity, we have an unprecedented opportunity to reset our country and rebuild. We cannot fail, and we will not fail. We shall do this to the memory of great men like Frank van der Horst, but also for the lives of those still to come,” concluded Minister McKenzie.
For media enquiries:
Mr Cassiday Rangata-Jacobs, Media Liaison Office: Office of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
Cell: 061 300 2963
Ms Zimasa Velaphi, Head of Communication and Marketing: Department of Sport, Arts and Culture
Email: ZimasaV@dsac.gov.za | Cell: 072 172 8925
