"We cannot allow badly brought-up individuals to mess with our sport"

PAGING through the back pages of newspapers as I'm preparing my tea, I am struck by the impressive performances of South African rugby players like Elton Jantjies, Heinrich Brussow and Chilliboy Ralepelle; as well as qualification for the MTN8 semis by Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and Ajax Cape Town.

Then a story of Soweto Rugby Club team members nursing bruises from racist attacks by their Edenvale opponents catches my attention.

"My mind's playing tricks on me," I think. I start to re-read the article, to make sure it is real. I realise, "No, I am actually awake, and my mind is not playing tricks on me". Soweto Rugby Club team members were in hospital.

I think we have a deeply rooted problem that needs to be uprooted permanently. Sport, and especially rugby, is not a breeding ground for racism in this country.

We have stated before that we are of Nelson Mandela and no one can stop us moving forward. We are a model country, having achieved a lot at such a young age.

South Africans are part of a nation-building process and our flag is flying high at various international events.

We cannot allow badly brought-up individuals to mess with our sport. Sport remains a national asset, and we will protect it from any harm.

Sport is about breeding patriots who fly the flag with pride. Yes, oozing confidence when the national anthem is sung. That is why we celebrate and mobilise the society behind the banner of Bok Day - a part of the Magnificent Fridays initiative. We are happy to be moving forward as a country.

When we go to New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup, we'll be wearing the green and gold, the South African colours, and enjoying the games of the Springboks.

We are breeding responsible South Africans. The train has long moved on if you are still sleeping and you feel like you want to wake up.

It's never too late to be part of the movement, a big movement to unite our country in diversity.

There are sportsmen and women who were associated with wrongs of the past.

They don't like it, they want to be part of the future united in diversity.

Even previous apartheid cabinet ministers had to repent and washed people's feet.

We don't want our young athletes to suffer the pain that their forebears suffered. Let's help our young athletes to be responsible fathers and mothers who understand the painful past our country endured until we reached the time of Nelson Mandela.

Sport is about breeding millionaires. Many of our youngsters are on that road to success, but there is traffic congestion in this process.

We want our young brothers and sisters from all races united under the constitutional democracy, to walk or drive with us.

If there's a problem on this road, we will, like the Gautrain initiative, work to ease the pressure on the road to becoming millionaires, but the ultimate goal is nation-building.

We want to celebrate our athletes every year with the Minister's Awards, Andrew Mlangeni Legendary Jackets, Steve Tshwete Lifetime Awards and the cherry on top, being voted the Sports Star of the Year by the public you work for. This is indeed a memorable moment in the life of every sportsman and woman. It's your moment, live it!

There are many players who would have liked to wear the South African flag and sing the national anthem in front of millions in the world, and get the feeling of Phil Masinga's goal that took us to France, or the Joel Stransky's drop-goal at Ellis Park to make us the world rugby champions in 1995, but due to apartheid they could not represent the country.

We cannot go back to that era where a certain race feels superior to another.

Families remain good breeding grounds of responsible and prosperous South Africans. We want good family values that mirror in our youth.

We will wait for the South African Rugby Union and Golden Lions Rugby Union to furnish us with information on the horrible act of last Saturday's game.

Let's build a strong South African sport. Together we can achieve more! My tea's getting cold.

- Fikile Mbalula is the Minister of Sports and Recreation