Thread by @ThabisoMosia

Someone asked for a thread of some of the testimonies I played on air this week from the TRC of SA Cricket - #SJNHearings
"At the Proteas, we were discriminated against on the basis of colour. If you look at the bench, it was always black players sitting out"-Spinner Eddie Leie

"When I was on tour in India I didn't play, I thought I would get a chance at the WC and I didn't. I really thought there was something wrong with me. They also wouldn't play me and Phangiso (two black spinners) at the same time, even in Durban where conditions are favourable"

"Even my mama asks me...My son, is it because we are poor that they didn't give you chances to play. She asked because these days, she sees that Bavuma, Ngidi, Rabada who went to private schools are at least getting chances"

"You can look over the last 15 years, black players have always been carrying drinks in the Proteas .Its only now Chair that the likes of Temba, Rabada, Ngidi, Sipamla are getting opportunities. When I was part of the set-up, Black players were always wearing bibs"

"In 2015 black players wrote a letter to CSA titled #DrinksMustFall.That's after Khaya Zondo didn't play on tour in India when JP Duminy was injured.They flew another player in (Elgar),but Khaya was there as a batsman.That thing broke the guy. It was like his soul left his body"

Thami Tsolekile- "I remember in 2012, Andrew Hudson (selector) came to me and said you will play against NZ. Everyone knew I was gonna play. But the night before the game, Hudson called me again and said in his own words that "Graeme Smith didn't want me to play in his team"

"There was a guy that was a Convenor of Selectors, Linda Zondi, a black guy, he didn't say anything. That's because if he said something, they would say he talks too much and he would be replaced. That's how they operate Mr Chair. If you don't know that, you don't know anything"

Thandi Tshabalala- former Proteas spinner-"Normally when we get on the bus and go to practice, some of the white guys would already be sitting when I get in.I would greet these senior white players, the Big Five, and they would just turn their heads and look another direction"

"After my experiences within the Proteas set-up. I felt that I could not support the team that portrayed a false image in public. I did not feel that it was a unified South African team, it had a false façade. Since then, till today, I have rejoiced every Proteas downfall"

Aya Myoli- fast bowler-"It started before the game when I had a pair of scissors and asked someone to cut my jersey. My KZN Inland captain Robbie Frylinck offered to do that.But he cut it in such a way that was horrible and it looked like he was mocking me.I was very embarrassed"

'Then during the game, Frylinck bowled seam and then changed in the middle of the game and bowled spin. That time I hadn't even bowled and my role was a fast bowler but he didn't bowl me. Other players were also asking why he wasn't using me. They could see what was going on"

"This was during the time the black guys who played for the Proteas were writting letters saying #DrinksMustFall . He said to me , the only thing I know about you guys, is to write letters. He mentioned quotas and said Phehlukwayo, Makhanya didn't deserve to play for Dolphins

Nolubabalo Ndzundzu- first black female to play for Proteas Women"- When we went on tours, we would share rooms. But when the roomies were announced, people wanted to change rooms if they were roomed with me . At times, I was even told to move from my room to another room"

"I remember the other day at dinner. One of the teammates loudly said..Nolu, just tell us, do you understand English...Eish, the whole table laughed before I could even answer. I knew she asked cos she knew the answer. I was so embarrassed, I couldn't even finish my food"

Paul Adams- " I think I'm the most capped 12th man in Proteas history. I was always carrying drinks and playing the odd game at the end of a series. Its like they were supressing me and hiding me away. I had a feeling they didn't want me to outshine the white players"

" I was competing with Pat Symcox. He would always play, even though the numbers show that I was a better spinner than him. The media when they wrote about me, they would always liken my bowling action to gangsterism or stealing. The media also has a role to play in this"

"When I was playing, they used to call me brown sh*t. There was even a song about it called 'brown sh*t in the ring'. They would sing it after games. At the time it didn't hit me that this was racism. It was only when my wife asked me why they call me that, then it registered"

"This has always stayed with me. Its blatant racism. I think these days they would call it unconscious racism. I've never asked Mark Boucher about it. He was just one of the guys that frequently used that term in the team"

"These things are still happening today. We have a WhatsApp group of 43 players that played for the Proteas in the 90's and 2000's...43 players, 40 are white and just three are black in me, Robbie P and Gibbs. But Gibbs was kicked out after 3 weeks"

"In October 2019 - Paul Harris posted an old picture of the WP squad. A few guys complemented the team and said great team. But Boeta Dippenaar wrote a comment and said, 'proper team but probably too white for these days '..Only Boeta can tell us what he meant"

In January 2020 , the SA under 19 had just lost a World Cup match to Zimbabwe...Johan Louw posted in the group saying, 'when are they going to get rid of that monkey'...He was referring to the SA Under 19 Coach Lawrence Mahatlane ....

These are snippets of testimonies from Monday to Thursday this week and I haven't even included Ethy Mbhalati and Ben Malamba... #SJNhearings are going on until the 23rd July...Here is the link bit.ly/3hhbD4D ...Adv Dumisa Ntsebeza is the Chair #SAFMSportOn