I was outraged when I was reading the The Star newspaper this morning and I saw a headline saying, “Bulls fan says she was verbally abused”. When I saw the headline, I thought to myself – what could this all be about? I was thinking along the lines of a woman rugby fan being verbally abused by a bunch a drunk fans at the stadium. But that was not the case as this story was about a black woman who was verbally abused by a Bulls fan at Loftus on Saturday where she went to watch the Bulls take on the Cheetahs.

According to the article, the woman was told, in Afrikaans, the the Union Buildings were on the “other side” – which the woman understood to imply that she and her niece were not wanted at Loftus. The article does not say if the man was white or black but it is pretty obvious that it was a white man saying this to the woman. “You should go to the inauguration of the president at the Union Buildings, you shouldn’t be at Loftus,” is what the man said to the black woman.

We all know that the Union Buildings were a hive of activity on Saturday as Jacob Zuma was being inaugurated as the new president of South Africa, meaning that this man may have been suggesting to the lady that she should be at the Union Buildings where she would be welcome as she is not welcome at Loftus. Why should she have gone to the Union Buildings? Because she is black?

I myself would not be surprised if this story is true and this actually happened to the black lady. I have always had the impression that Loftus on a day the Bulls are playing is not the best place to be if you are a black person as you will be in a serious minority. Granted that rugby is a predominantly ‘white’ sport but does that mean a black fan of rugby should not feel comfortable and welcome when they decide to go out and watch a rugby game? If my memory serves me correct, a similar incident happened to a black fan when they went to watch the Springboks play rugby. Why is it so hard for blacks to be able to freely enjoy themselves at a live rugby match?

I am a big rugby fan and have watched a lot of live rugby at Newlands in Cape Town and I have never for one day had a ‘racial’ problem there. I have yet to watch rugby at Loftus but after reading this story today, I am having doubts about going to watch rugby at Loftus as I am black. Is it just a Loftus and Coca-Cola park thing?
Should this be the case? NO! I should be able to go, watch and enjoy myself at any rugby venue in South Africa that I please. I am also paying just like the other fans who are there regardless of their colour.