Zola Yeye: Being on the right side of history

Armed with 25 years of broadcast experience at the SABC, a wealth of sporting experience you can take to the bank and memories of a time when television blackouts were law, Zola Yeye is perfectly poised to give the ICASA task team that's drafting the new broadcast regulations an intimate look inside the sporting world, both past and modern.

The sight of former 2007 Springbok World Cup-winning team manager Zola Yeye sitting across the table from his ex SA Rugby colleagues in Irene this week drew more than the quizzical eyebrow.

Yeye is a sporting advisor to the panel that’s debating the proposed Draft Sports Broadcasting Services Amendment Regulations (2018) but his contribution could have far-reaching consequences – more than he would have bargained for.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has drafted new regulations to the existing broadcast bill, with the noble, at least in theory, endeavour to open access to live sports action to economically disenfranchised South Africans.

Their methodology, though, snatching exclusivity from pay channel rights holders, has rallied many organisations and federations like SA Rugby strongly oppose the proposed regulations.

Whether ICASA will succeed in passing the regulations into the ICASA and Electronic Communications Acts in their current form or whether they will succeed in their eventual mandate is moot at the moment.

But what cannot be doubted is that, beneath the surface, the elephant in the room has been the steady slide from public view of sports such as rugby, from the old set box with the bunny ears to the plasma screens of an elite few.

Yeye, one of the finest wingers that my generation and those that followed never got to see play, lamented that, due to the apartheid law of his playing days, his talents were never fully appreciated.

He played in the days of flyhalf Peter Mkata (recognised as one of the best No 10s South Africa ever produced), the segregated days of KWARU domination and thrilling rivalries against Daniel “Spoky” September’s Tygerberg. You won’t see highlights packages or YouTube tributes for these players. Their memories live in the hearts and minds of those fortunate, and unfortunate enough, to live during their time.

In Port Elizabeth’s New Brighton township, which produced latter-day Springboks Thando Manana and Solly Tyibilika, Springbok Sevens great and current Bok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick, Yeye was known as the “jink master”. It’s not hard to figure why. 

Now he sits on a panel that’s trying to make sure that future black rugby players’ careers don’t go quietly into that goodnight because of the lack of exposure afforded to disadvantaged communities. 

“My wounds and pain are there for everybody to see; of missing out on an opportunity to be seen because of institutionalised racism,” he said at the five-day hearings in Irene.

“The talent and potential that I had, if I could have had an opportunity to measure it, I would have been happy by now. I’m not happy because there was an evil system that made me become a journeyman.

“But I also became a highly principled individual because I said, ‘No normal sport in an abnormal society’. I was not prepared to take half a loaf of bread for the good of it, until my people are emancipated. That was my spine.

“I stood firm with everybody running around joining other ‘Mickey Mouse [federations]’ and token environments. It wasn’t only me, there were plenty others. 

“But I am able to separate my painful experiences because God gave us a rational mind to think prudently and adapt. I am able to encourage the young ones to say, ‘We have done it for you, you don’t need to do it.’ The suffering is done. 

“We set up a better platform for our children with the sacrifices we made and this is part of the process, that they should get the exposure they deserve.”

Submissions to the public hearings have been nothing short of engaging. Federations such SA Rugby and Boxing SA mentioned their plight, how they are utterly dependent on the broadcast rights lunch the regulations threatens to steal.

There have been holes poked into the public broadcaster’s (SABC’s) capacity to deliver the free-to-air mandate that ICASA requires of them.

All the while, Yeye has noted the chasm that exists in even some of the most basic levels of the sports broadcasting game. 

Elite schools such as Grey College (Bloemfontein), Paul Roos, Paarl Gym, Paarl Boy’s High School and Affies are accelerating further into the abyss and with them goes the pot of gold. 

Township and rural schools that harbour untapped talent are being further left behind. You won’t hear of an FNB Classic Clash featuring Phillip Mtyaku Senior Secondary versus Sinethemba High School, for instance. 

These schools don’t earn invites to the Wilderklawer rugby tournament. That slice of the pie is reserved for Affies, Grey, Monument, Garsfontein, Framesby, Waterkloof etc.

“There is no equitable access to everybody,” Yeye surmised. 

“There is a skewed kind of broadcasting that’s got a huge impact on the previously disadvantaged schools.

“In truth, there are traditionally black rugby-playing schools but they are maligned and they are not recognised and they only surface when there is a tournament that involves the other traditionally white schools.

“As a result, some of these black kids go to ‘white schools’ to get a [chance at exposure]. A case in point is Siya [Kolisi]. He came from a school in the dusty streets of KwaZakhale and he went to Grey. 

“At Grey his skills were honed and he got a platform that became a catalyst for him to be where he is at the moment. He got a lucky break but what about 99.9%? They die a natural death. They remain there hoping and wishing they could come to the surface.”

Maya Angelou once memorably said: “Your crown has already be bought and paid for. Put it on your head and wear it.”

It’s a poignant quote that illustrates quite how critical Yeye’s role will be in the shaping of these new regulations. Yeye’s experience as a broadcaster and intimate knowledge of the sporting environment, as well as his capabilities as an administrator, put an ace up ICASA’s sleeve. 

He said this about what motivates him to take part in these ground-breaking hearings:

“Our country is on a changing curve from where we were up to where we are. But people need to embrace the change and must not see the change as racist or discriminatory against the minority. 

“You can also look at the issue of quotas. SARU came out guns blazing saying they don’t recognise quotas. ‘Our teams are not played according to the quota system. We have selected our players on merit.’ But you’ll find that certain things are not moving fast enough.

“We’ve always been talking about transformation and all these opportunities for black children and what’s sickening is that time is of essence. Time is money. Time is life, for these young boys.

“If they are not given an opportunity on these platforms – especially in rugby, cricket and boxing – time will run out for them. This is a multi billion-dollar industry. They’ve got only 10 years to maximise their potential.

“When you’re still young, full of potential and zest and energy you want to be there [television].”

SIBUSISO MJIKELISO

@sbu_mjikeliso on twitter.

ICASA’s panel is chaired by Palesa Kadi.

Deputy Chair is Nomonde Gongxeka-Seopa. 

The rest of the panel consists of the following minds: Refiloe Motseoneng, Zola Yeye, Mamedupe Kgatshe, Onkarabile Mokoena, Ashwin Fairbiarn, Ehi Enabor, Bethuel Makola.

Again, I am writing in my personal capacity as a writer. I am writing merely to inform the public on the developments that could have a major impact on sport and sports broadcasting. Call it #CountryDuty if you like. If you missed my day one wrap of Monday's proceedings, click here, if you missed Tuesday's wrap click here.

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