• A group of 39 black South African sportswomen have joined male counterparts in rugby and cricket in publicly supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and highlighting continued discrimination.
• Various instances of institutional racism is referred to in the correspondence.
• Two prominent signatories praise the compilation of the statement as a vital and liberating first step towards tackling challenges more head-on. 

Veteran sports administrator Ntambi Ravele has hailed a statement compiled by a compilation of South African sportswomen in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement as "significant and liberating".

The correspondence, which has been signed by no less than 39 people, states that "racism and racial prejudice has been with us throughout the post-apartheid era of sport, despite us believing we had a new dawn emerging for all sportswomen" and the local women's sporting community is "tired of white-dominated sports teams still existing in 26-year-old post-apartheid SA".

Various aspects of institutional prejudice are pointed out, including:

• Black girls being discriminated against in school sport where white coaches control selection in most school sports. 
• White "racist" coaches believing white girls in sport are merit selections and black girls "must be developed".
• The continued lack of sponsorship for women's rugby and soccer despite both codes being dominated by black players.
• The lack of black coaches and batters in South African women's cricket.
• Black players' lack of extended game-time in netball and hockey.
• A dearth of black athletics coaches.

"I've been discriminated against many times during my career," Ravele, who is a central figure in the ongoing disciplinary saga against suspended Sascoc acting president, Barry Hendricks, told Sport24. 

"I think most of us will admit that we didn't talk about these things previously, but I'm pleased this is changing. When I became aware of this initiative, I was more than willing to attach my name to it."

Mel Awu, a prominent administrator at tertiary level, believes the speedy manner in which the substantial number of signatories grew testifies to local sportswomen's cries for better recognition.

"It's become clear that we need to listen to each other's stories far more actively," she told Sport24.

"Voices need to be heard. The fact that we could assemble this document so quickly is a clear indication of what we can achieve if we all strive for a common goal. Naturally, we still have a long way to go, but this is an important step."  

Ravele agrees.

"By all accounts this is just a first step, but a significant and powerful one," she said.

"We've created awareness of the plight of our sportswomen. We're not saying that this issue is confined to the people who undersigned the statement, we want more of us to come forward and be heard.

"If we are going to eliminate the challenges that we are facing, we need to take hands, speak up and take action."

The full statement released by Black Sportswomen reads: 

South Africa’s Black Sportswomen Speak Out: We’ve Had Enough Of Racism And Discrimination In Sport

In this unequal society that we live in, we acknowledge the inequalities that exist in South African sport, especially gender, class and colour inequalities.

We point out that discrimination based on these inequalities is vast in SA sport.

Racism and racial prejudice has been with us throughout the post-apartheid era of sport, despite us believing we had a new dawn emerging for all sportswomen.

This racism and racial prejudice is prevalent in most sports, from school sport to international level.

We are tired of white-dominated sports teams still existing in 26 year old post-apartheid SA.

We’ve had enough of black sportswomen always having to prove themselves much more than white sportswomen, especially in netball and women’s hockey and women’s cricket.

We are tired of black girls being discriminated against in school sport where white coaches control selection in most school sports.

We’ve had enough of white racist coaches who think white girls in sport are merit selections and black girls ‘must be developed’.

We’ve had enough of gender discrimination in sport.

Why can’t women’s rugby and women’s football national league get sponsored? Is it because these sports are black-dominated?

Where are the black African women cricket coaches and black African women batters in the SA women’s cricket team?

Why do so few black women get game time in netball and hockey teams?

Where are the black women coaches in athletics?

Why do men control and dominate women’s sports?

We’ve had enough of racism, racial prejudice, discrimination and white privilege existing in South African sports.

We, the sportswomen and women in sport are speaking out, with one voice.

Hear our roars!

Signed By:

• Jo Prins – National league netballer
• Noko Matlou – Banyana Banyana capped footballer
• Zanele Mdodana – Former South African netball captain; Maties netball coach
• Thelma Achilles – Softball umpire
• Phumelela Mbande – South African national hockey player
• Nomsebenzi Tsotsobe – South African women’s rugby
• Dumisani Chauke – South African netball assistant coach
• Zethu Myeki – South African pro golfer
• Rabia Isaacs – Softball player and coach
• Ntambi Ravele – Experienced sports administrator
• Nosipho Poswa – Former South African women's rugby player; rugby coach
• Aphiwe Tuku – International fencer
• Jackie van Staade – Anti-apartheid tennis player
• Unam Tose – Women’s Springbok
• Cheryl Roberts – Women in sport media
• Hlengiwe Buthelezi – Athlete
• Chuma Qawe – South African women's rugby
• Tania Lewis – International volleyball match official
• Kgothatso Montjane – World Class wheelchair tennis player
• Mampho Tsotetsi – Former international netballer; netball coach
• Ruth Saunders – Handball Official
• Palesa "Deejay" Manaleng – Para-athlete
• Malikah Hamza – National U21 training squad hockey player
• Nadia Mgulwa – Tertiary sport administrator
• Nadeema Levy – Touch rugby administrator
• Mel Awu – Tertiary sport administrator
• Nosipho Mthembu – South African canoeist
• Zoleka Bandla – Women’s Rugby coach
• Siviwe Duma – South African pro golfer
• Qeku – Former Protea
• Thulisile Nhleko – Former South African Fast5 netball player
• Palesa Mbukwana - National netballer
• Nontle Gwavu  – former Proteas women cricketer
• Tumelo Nkoe – Netballer
• Simnikiwe Mdaka – former South African netballer
• Nthabiseng Moabi – former South African netballer
• Tsakane Mbewe – former South African netballer
• Refiloe Mochaka – former South African netballer
• Hazel Gumede – Netball coach