Hilda Fourie

Johannesburg – “I shuddered when the Springboks announced that they are 100% behind Bees Roux.”

That's what Tshwane metro police regional director Moloko Racheku said at the memorial service for police sergeant Ntshimane Johannes Mogale (38), who was allegedly beaten to death by Blue Bulls prop Bees Roux last Friday morning.

Racheku was referring to a comment by Springbok coach Peter de Villiers earlier in the week that they fully support Roux, though they do not support the crime he stands accused of.

De Villiers said: “The team supports him … not the deed, but how the situation developed.”

Racheku said that one could conclude from the statement that the Springboks know something about the incident that the rest of the public doesn’t. He wants to know what it is.

“The Springboks are a national team,” said Racheku.

“My son and I are Springbok supporters. So were Mogale and his son. Mogale is also entitled to the Springboks supporting him.”

Executive director of policing Ndumiso Jaca said that he condemned the statement by De Villiers in the strongest terms.

He said that former president Nelson Mandela had used the Rugby World Cup in 1995 to unite people.

“We as black people told the white people to join us, but statements like that (the one by De Villiers) divides the nation,” said Jaca.