A decade-old tweet from Gayton McKenzie condemning the Springboks has elicited outrage from South Africans. According to many social media users, the Minister of Sport was once a staunch All Blacks supporter.
Like many members of the coloured and black community, they chose to back the New Zealand rugby team, whose players experienced similar struggles to Apartheid’s racial discrimination.
WAS GAYTON MCKENZIE AN ALL BLACKS SUPPORTER?
On Saturday, 23 August, an old tweet by Gayton McKenzie regarding the Springboks resurfaced.
Originally posted in 2015, the now Minister of Sport – using the X [formerly Twitter] handle @G_xcon – posted: “May the Springboks be beaten today!”
Then switching to his @GaytonMck handle, the politician added: “They should come home”.
Gayton was referring to the Springboks playing at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Despite wanting them to lose, the Boks beat Samoa 46 – 6.
According to many social media users, Gayton McKenzie was once a staunch All Blacks supporter.
A since-deleted tweet from his account in 2015 read: “I love rugby, I however love my people more. I cannot support the Springboks at RWC 2015. I will be supporting the All Blacks”.
However, the Patriotic Alliance leader still has a post from that year that reads, “All Blacks moering two blacks,” referring to New Zealand’s 20–18 World Cup game defeat over South Africa.
Fast forward to 2024, and being sworn in as Minister of Sport, Gayton claimed that he was “happy and proud” to see the tides turn after the All Blacks landed in South Africa for a test series.
He tweeted: “A lot of us used to scream for the All Blacks, particularly in the Western Cape. Today I saw all my friends donning Springboks jerseys. Times have really changed under Rassie [Erasmus]. We saw very few All Black shirts today”
EXPLAINER: WHY MANY SOUTH AFRICANS SUPPORT NEW ZEALAND RUGBY
Apart from New Zealand itself, the All Blacks have the second-biggest fanbase in South Africa. The Western Cape, which has a large population of coloured people, has much to do with that support.
The link between SA and the All Blacks has much to do with our country’s deep-rooted history and connection to New Zealand, particularly during the Apartheid regime.
Before the inception of democracy, non-white rugby players were banned from playing in the national rugby squad, known as the Springboks.
Coloured and black players had their own federations, which were ultimately dictated to by the South African Rugby Board [SARB] and reserved for white players. This resulted in much resentment, particularly from coloured rugby fans and players, towards the Springboks, who abided by racist sporting policies.
To add insult to injury, SARB forbade New Zealand natives – known as Māoris, and also classified as “people of colour” – from visiting or playing against SA. According to reports, this demand was supported or, at the very least, accepted by New Zealand authorities, including the New Zealand Rugby Union [NZRU].
The racial tensions saw an explosive turn of events in the late 60s when the New Zealand protest group Halt All Racist Tours proposed the boycott of games and tours in South Africa.
During this period, non-white South Africans stood in alignment with New Zealand’s All Blacks, who also felt the ripple effect of Apartheid’s discrimination and segregation.
After a sporting boycott was lifted following the democratic elections, South Africa and New Zealand played each other in the 1995 World Cup finale, which South Africa won.
The match – attended by the late Nelson Mandela – saw the first democratic president of SA encourage the nation to reconcile and support the Springboks.
However, many South Africans have chosen to remain loyal to the All Blacks.
DO YOU THINK GAYTON MCKENZIE’S SUPPORT OF THE ALL BLACKS IS JUSTIFIED?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.