By Thokozani Mtshali

The South African Rugby Union (Saru) on Monday presented its transformation charter before parliament which, if implemented to the core, will see radical changes within the sport.

According to Saru, a successful implementation of the charter would see an increased number of blacks in rugby management, in the field and among spectators and supporters.

Saru deputy chief executive officer Mveleli Ncula said the union hoped to present the transformation charter to all its 14 provincial administrations before the end of the second week of December, the close of business for the Christmas holidays.

Among the key issues has also been the lack of development of black players

The rugby fraternity, especially its management, has in most instances been at loggerheads with the government over its perceived slow pace of transformation. Among the key issues has also been the lack of development of black players, and the development of the sport's infrastructure in historically disadvantaged communities.

Appearances by the South African rugby management before the national assembly's sport committee are often characterised by hostility and tensions, but the two appeared to be talking with one voice yesterday when Saru Managing Director Willie Basson and Ncula presented the charter.

In the charter Saru commits itself to transforming the profile of all its structures by aligning it to local, regional and national population demographics and to promoting broad-based economic empowerment initiatives.

This would include the introduction of a "score card" mechanism that would be used to measure and analyse the progress of transformation against set targets and give incentives to structures that were managing the changes well, Basson said before the Portfolio Committee on Sport.

He said the charter also committed the rugby union to ensuring that there was an equitable access to resources, including finance and facilities to ensure a broader participation at all levels.

Saru also commited itself to sustainable development of skills and expertise on and off the field, and to ensuring its structures embraced the laws seeking to promote employment equity.

Basson also reiterated to the committee that despite the ideal situation envisaged in the charter, the unions still believed in the principle of selecting players based on merit.

However, Basson acknowledged that merit as a principle remained an issue of contention because the lack of transformation in the sport, especially the equitable distribution of resources, created unequal opportunities.

Committee chairperson Butana Komphela on Monday revealed that the government intended to begin crafting new laws to enforce transformation in sports.

Komphela also criticised the rugby union for keeping its 14 regional structures instead of rationalising them in accordance with South Africa's nine provinces.

• This article was originally published on page 2 of The Mercury on November 08, 2005