Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Although transformation has been high on the Proteas agenda in 2016, Cape Cobras batsman Omphile Ramela still believes there is a struggle of players coming through the system in South Africa.
Ramela spoke to BBC Sport on Facebook Live to talk about transformation and the struggle to get black players involved in playing professional cricket in South Africa.
"Within the franchise system, depth remains a big challenge," Ramela told BBC. "If you look at the franchises that are doing well within the domestic circuit are the franchises with a surplus of black cricketers.
"The ones that don’t have tend to struggle a little bit more. So I think there’s definitely a shortage of players coming through the system."
Sports minister Fikile Mbalula banned Cricket South Africa (CSA), SA Rugby, Athletics South Africa (ASA) and Netball South Africa (NSA) from bidding for major events back in April due to a lack of transformation.
CSA announced at the beginning of September that they had set official transformation targets for the national side.
The targets require the national team to play an average minimum of 54% black players and average minimum of 18% black african players in all formats over the course of the season.
"I think at a national level it might also be the same," said Ramela. "But at the moment, the system looks to be stabilise with a lot of players coming to the fore and I think sometimes the national team reveals the dilemma of transformation.
"When the national team is losing, transformation becomes the big problem and when it’s winning, everyone forgets about it. It’s a difficult issue to handle because it’s emotive.
"I personally tend to disagree with this whole push element (of transformation), there might be a few elements where people are pushed through too soon but if we look at it simply as the opportunities given to players then it becomes a different ball game."
Ramela will lead the South African Invitation XI in the three-day tour match against Sri Lanka to be played at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom from December 18 to 20.
WATCH full interview with Ramela below:
