The department of sports, arts and culture on Wednesday defended their support of superfans Mama Joy Chauke and Botha Msila at the Rugby World Cup in France.
The two superfans were in the stands, flying the South African flag high as the Springboks secured a bonus-point win in their game against Tonga at the weekend that saw them put one foot in the quarter-finals.
Following the game, the two came under criticism after it was revealed their trips to France, and the men’s and women’s football World Cups in Qatar and Australia and New Zealand, were paid for by the department of sports, arts and culture.
One of the people who criticised Chauke and Msila was Gqeberha DA councillor Renaldo Gouws, who came to prominence in 2019 after his social media rant about local music icon Danny K’s anti-racism sentiments.
“I was today years old when I found out that these two are paid by the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture to go and be supporters in the stands. I'm not joking, they are paid by taxpayers to go to sporting events across the world to ‘represent’ South Africa,” Gouws posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In a statement on Wednesday, the department said: “The department is noting with concern the negative reactions and comments by some South Africans concerning the presence of Mama Joy Chauke and Botha Msila at the 2023 Rugby World Cup to support the Springboks and raise the South African flag.
“It’s concerning that when the world recognises their presence, thus celebrating the contribution of South African supporters at the World Cup, two of South Africa’s superfans are receiving criticism and insuts from within the country.”
The department added that Mama Joy and Botha’s presence at the World Cup played a major role in demonstrating how South Africans are using sport to heal the divisions of the past.
IOL Sport