Why called springboks

Typical of this species is the pronk jumping display , which led to its common name. Both sexes have horns but those of the ram are thicker and rougher. This species has adapted to the dry, barren areas and open grass plains and is thus found especially in the Free State, North West province and in the Karoo up to the west coast of South Africa.

They are herd animals and move in small herds during winter, but often crowd together in bigger herds in summer. They eat both grass and leaves and can go without drinking-water, because they get enough moisture from the succulent leaves. Where drinking-water is available they will use it. The springbok was a national symbol of South Africa under white minority rule including a significant period prior to the establishment of Apartheid. On 27 April South Africa held its first all-race elections.

The elections marked the end of apartheid and the country's transition into a full democracy. It was a time of uncertainty for all South Africans. The young nation sought to establish a new direction but many questions remained unanswered. How could South Africa's various races unite under a single banner with the wounds of apartheid still festering? How could Black South Africans rise above the legacy of a political system that had oppressed them for so long? The first steps toward the answer of these questions required the leadership of one of history's most incredible individuals.

His inauguration took place on 10 May in the capital city of Pretoria. From Mandela had been imprisoned by the apartheid regime for his involvement with the ANC. Ironically, this made him the perfect candidate to lead South Africa towards racial reconciliation. Mandela had an almost divine capacity for forgiveness.

A man who had been imprisoned for nearly three decades - for standing up for the basic human rights of his people — called upon Black South Africans to embrace their historic oppressors. He urged all South Africans to look toward a rainbow future and move beyond their dark past. Mandela seized the opportunity to work toward racial reconciliation.

Black and White South Africans alike embraced the campaign. Throughout the tournament South Africans of all races painted their faces in the colours of the new flag and cheered on the Springboks — who Mandela referred to as 'our boys'. Rugby World Cup, 24 June The Springboks were not the tournament favourites.

However, after several hard fought matches the team made it to the finals against their old rivals the All Blacks. On 24 June the final match took place between the two teams at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg. The Springboks emerged victorious, narrowly defeating the All Blacks with a drop-goal in extra time. Nelson Mandela appeared wearing a Springboks cap and jersey before a roaring crowd of 60 fans and presented Springbok captain Francois Peinaar with the Ellis Cup.

When asked by a reporter about the South African fan support in the stadium Peinaar replied, ' we didn't have 60 South Africans, we had 43 million South Africans'. Peinaar, The RWC was the ultimate rehabilitation of the Springbok. Mandela led all South Africans to a full embrace of a symbol that had once embodied the values of apartheid. Through rugby and the Springbok symbol he demonstrated to the world South Africa's capacity to change.

Mandela did not change the game of rugby or the Springbok symbol themselves, he changed the meanings attached to them. Whether his incredible feat led to permanent change remains a subject of debate. After the RWC there rose the question of whether South Africans would continue to rally around rugby when the eyes of the world were no longer upon them. The tournament was undoubtedly a magical moment in South African history, but just over a year later there was an unfortunate indication that Springbok leaders were still stuck in a racist past.

More recently accusations have risen of school age Black rugby players being called 'dogs' as they run out onto the pitch. Tendai Mtawarira rumbles, 8 August Source: Brandon Fisher collection. However, there are also signs that rugby in South Africa has turned a new leaf.

They have drastically increased funding for underprivileged rugby organizations. There are also an increasing number of Black South Africans representing the Springboks on the world stage. Although the number is disproportionately small, it is a marked improvement from the single Black Springbok who played in the RWC - Chester Williams.

On Thursday 5 December the world lost a great leader. Nelson Mandela was an incredible individual and an example for all to aspire to. It is important that South Africans and the rest of the world remember his accomplishment at the RWC.

Mandela showed that rugby does have the power to unite the country. Black and White South Africans should not ignore rugby's turbulent history.

Rather, they should follow in the path Mandela has shown them. He was able to change the meanings associated with the Springbok symbol - evolving it into something great. The challenge lies with South Africans to continue to honour his accomplishment. Rugby and the Springbok Symbol in Afrikaner Identity and Politics Throughout the first half of the nineteenth century rugby and the Springbok symbol became linked to Afrikaner nationalism and politics.

Apartheid and Springbok Rugby's International Isolation South Africa's rugby isolation reached its apex during the 's. The former president of SACOS Norman Middleton accurately summed up the National Party's position on international rugby competition nearly a decade earlier; ' I don't think that the Government could care less about such sports as cricket and soccer.

The Ambiguous Future of Rugby in South Africa After the RWC there rose the question of whether South Africans would continue to rally around rugby when the eyes of the world were no longer upon them. Know something about this topic? Towards a people's history. It's not the first time the ANC has wanted to get rid of the once-hated springbok emblem.

After the election victory in , the ANC wanted it replaced by the protea only for President Nelson Mandela to step in and give special permission for it to be used in the Rugby World Cup in South Africa. Despite being excluded from organised international competition for nearly 20 years because of apartheid, the Springboks won the tournament. When he made the presentation of the William Webb Ellis Trophy to Francois Pienaar, the team captain, Mr Mandela wore a Springbok shirt and cap — a hugely symbolic gesture on what was once the hallowed Afrikaans turf of Ellis Park, Johannesburg.

After the win, Dan Qeqe, the veteran anti-apartheid sports campaigner and "father of black rugby" in South Africa, said: "I never had the chance to test myself against the white rugby greats, but today we play together, and the Springboks play for all of us. But despite the sentiment, colour still dominates public debate on team selection in South Africa, with claims and counter-claims over why certain players are picked and not picked.

The predominantly white sports of cricket and rugby are most affected with all appointments — both administrative and playing — pored over for bias or political duplicity. Last week the Springboks named its first black coach, Peter de Villiers, who took over from the World Cup-winning coach Jake White who was himself dogged by criticism over team selection.

The South African Rugby Union president, Oregan Hoskins, said he was the best man for the job but then undermined reasons for the appointment by saying "transformation" also played a part. Getting a straight answer on what transformation means isn't easy, but in layman's terms it means more coloured and black players in the first team with the caveat that they must get in on merit.

You are not alone. There is no doubt that Mr De Villiers has the coaching credentials to fill the role and, upon taking it, warned players that there would be "no favours" on team selection. Not shy in using the Springbok term, he added: "You dream of being a Springbok player and if you can't be a player you dream of being a Springbok coach and that has become a reality for me now. I am very privileged to be in this position of taking over a great squad of players but this is where the hard work begins.

To make wholesale changes would be stupid. What he probably didn't envisage was a change to the team's name.

He declined to talk about the impending move saying that he had "never really thought about it", but Mr Hoskins said he was dismayed. I remember when Jake White asked me to address the team and hand out jerseys.

I told the players that as a young black person, I supported the All Blacks over the Springboks. If the Springbok is eradicated it would impact hugely on South African rugby, in ways that would change rugby for ever and could have catastrophic consequences that would never be redeemable. That might be a slight exaggeration, but Mr De Villiers' appointment and the demise of the springbok could draw a line under the once-dominant influence of Africa's last white tribe.

Since rugby's early days, the Boers have dominated domestic rugby from their heartlands of the former Transvaal, Natal and Orange Free State. Whereas in the former Cape Province — and in particular present-day Eastern and Western Cape — rugby was more integrated with far more black and especially Cape Coloured — descendants of salev labourers — teams. During apartheid, racial barriers were still in place for official teams, but mixed sides were tolerated — as long as they played each other.

That was not the case in the more Afrikaan-dominated parts of the country where English-speaking South Africans were barely tolerated, let alone those with different coloured skins.