A springbok in a hornet's nest

2008-11-13 10:05

Georgina Guedes

I'm honestly sick to death of the debate about the Springbok emblem. It just seems like someone's stirring up a hornet's nest for no reason other than to stir up the nest, but I'm weighing in on this a bit late because I've been distracted by American politics for a couple of weeks

Even with a lack of funds being poured into the game, and debates constantly being waged about transformation in South African rugby, it continues to be the one South African sport where we win more often as we lose, and that, if nothing else, is capturing the hearts and minds of the entire nation.

In general, I'm all for name changes in our maturing democracy. I don't see why black people - or white people for that matter - should have to continue to live in cities or travel down roads that celebrate the heroes of Apartheid. Why on earth should they?

National animal in title alone

The springbok emblem, on the other hand, is a trickier issue. For one thing, it's still the national animal. It's distinctive and it has the weight of history behind it - both good and bad - but after all, isn't that what South Africa is all about?

If the national animal is being fired from the rugby team (having already been banned from the fleet of our national carrier), one has to ask why it's still the national emblem of our country? If this poor little animal is in such ill favour, shouldn't we let it retire gracefully, rather than denying it entry into any of the previous illustrious circles in which it used to move, while continuing to humour it with the "national animal" title?

Or we should accept it as an animal that weathered the changes in our nation, still holds its title, and continues to pronk along, but is now representative of a unified nation.

And then we should really shut up about it.

What are the alternatives

I must say, though, that I've always found it a bit of a funny emblem for South African rugby. I understand that rugby emblems aren't always perfect metaphors for what goes on out there on the field - an actual English Rose would be ripped apart in seconds under Bakkies Botha's boots - but the idea of a poor, skittish, springbok with the Australian front row bearing down on it has always made me cringe with empathy at the impending crush.

I'm also not mad about the idea of using the protea for all South African sports. It's a unique and special flower, and fine for a genteel game like cricket, but as far as emotions go, I don't think it stirs up much of anything (although I'm sure a bevy of cricket fans is going to write to me to disagree).

When pushed to think of something else, the best that I can come up with is a rhino. It's solid, but still pretty quick on its feet, and when one of those is charging towards you, you get out of the way quickly, or face the consequences. And it would lend itself quite nicely to promotional campaigns, making the ground rumble and angrily pawing the dirt.

Or we could just get on with it

Despite its spindly legs, and the smear of racism besmirching its once illustrious name, I think the springbok should stay. Far more than being the national animal, or the most recognisable buck on a game drive, it's so strongly associated with South African rugby that to think of our team under any other banner seems strange.

I have a solution to propose, though. I overheard some people discussing it at a braai this weekend, and it seems like a perfectly elegant compromise.

There exists a rare black springbok in some herds. I've seen these in the bush, and they are perfectly distinctive dark versions of the same animal. The beauty is that they are the same species, they live side by side with the other springbok, they're just a different colour.

What could be more perfectly representative of a unified South Africa than to keep the old emblem, but make it black?

Everyone would be happy - or furious, I guess, but the ones who can't accept a good compromise aren't ever going to be happy about anything.

Georgina Guedes is a freelance journalist. The last time she came up with a logo concept, she got paid for it.

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