A critical analysis of the legality of racial quotas as a tool for transformation in South African professional sport
Date
2021-03
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa is a country steeped in sport, which is an important part of the culture of large parts of the population. The new political dispensation in South Africa that came into existence in 1994 recognized the inequalities that had negatively affected South Africans in sport and in other areas of their lives, over the span of many years. It prompted government to introduce affirmative action measures in sport as in other areas of the lives of South Africans. After 26 years these affirmative action measures that have been implemented in sport still remain a challenge for sports governing bodies, and are still controversial. This dissertation aims to delve deeper into these affirmative action measures and, specifically, to critically analyze the legality of racial quotas in professional sport in South Africa as a tool to accelerate transformation. The dissertation will focus on the fact that sport provides an atypical context for the application of affirmative action, but one that is still subject to laws. It will be shown that professional athletes in South Africa qualify as employees under labour legislation, and are consequently protected by the same rules as more traditional employees. This raises an interesting question for legal analysis. South African labour legislation expressly prohibits the use of racial quotas in the application of affirmative action. Despite this, South African sporting codes have for a number of years employed racial quotas for the composition of representative teams (examples of which will be mentioned and examined). Because of the applicable constitutional and legislative framework for the application of affirmative action, the dissertation analyses the use of racial quotas through evaluation of the jurisprudence on affirmative action outside the sporting context in South Africa, in order to draw conclusions regarding the lawfulness of the use of such quotas in sport. There is a relative dearth of case law specifically on the issue of racial quotas. As a result, a comparative analysis is undertaken in respect of the United States of America, a jurisdiction which has grappled with the legitimacy of racial quotas for much longer than South Africa, and which has developed legal precedent on the issue.The dissertation also deals with the concept of ‘representivity’ within the context of the transformation of South African sport. This is a term that has become synonymous iii with transformation, both in sport and in society more generally. The dissertation focuses on the concept of ‘equitable representation’, which is the express objective of affirmative action under the Employment Equity Act. Equitable representation, ostensibly, means to pursue the achievement of a level of representation in workplaces which mirrors the national or regional racial demographic profile of the population. In the context of professional sports teams, when affirmative action measures are applied the aim is therefore to select a team which is representative of the racial demographic profile of the South African population. The dissertation investigates this concept and its role in transformation in South Africa, as well as its legitimacy in the context of professional sport. Apart from the above-mentioned analysis of domestic law, the dissertation also examines the legitimacy of the application of racial quotas in the broader context of international sports governance. It considers the legitimacy of transformation measures as applied by South African sports governing bodies within the parameters of the relevant rules, principles and regulations of international sports governing bodies. This analysis highlights the anomalous nature of racial quotas in professional sport, both in the domestic and international contexts. South African sports governing bodies are contractually obliged to govern their respective sporting codes in a manner that complies with the rules of international bodies, and the dissertation also focuses on the potential danger of pushback from international sports governing bodies against domestic transformation measures which flout international rules.
Finally, the dissertation investigates potential justification for racial quotas in professional sport in South Africa. It briefly evaluates the role that sport plays as a tool for nation-building and reconciliation, and then considers whether racial quotas could be justified as a means to remove inequalities and to create equal opportunities for all races in professional sport.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar
Description
Thesis (LLM)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
Keywords
Racial quotas in professional sport, Transformation in South African sport, Sports -- Law and legislation -- South Africa, Discrimination in sports -- South Africa, Sports -- Moral and ethical aspects -- South Africa, UCTD