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Mbalula: Media a bunch of losers

Cape Town - Sports minister Fikile Mbalula has lashed out at the media for criticising the government’s proposed quota plan in South African sport.

Mbalula recently threatened to withdraw South Africa's national teams from competing internationally when he said athletics, cricket, football, netball and rugby are falling behind with transformation and development.

He wants to see 60% black representation in teams and warned of harsh punishment if there was any form of resistance to these measures.

If any resistance was met, Mbalula said, government could withdraw funding to bodies that fail to comply, withdraw national colours to federations holding back, rule that utilising bidding and hosting regulations to be illegal, de-register any body which fails to transform and bar sponsorship to anyone hostile to transformation.

After a meeting was held on Monday, the plans appear to be on ice for at least another year, but the minister still lashed out at the media for widely criticising the government’s plans.

“So far the media has been very sensational about the whole issue. They are a bunch of losers,” Mbalula told the Beeld website.

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