Picture: for illustration purposes
Recent video has emerged that may considerably alleviate the pressure on Springbok hooker Bongani Mbonambi from allegations of racial slurs during Saturday's epic Rugby World Cup semifinal match against England. Initially, England's Tom Curry accused Mbonambi of uttering racial slurs against him in the heat of the match at the Stade de France in Paris. Amid the high-stakes game that the Springboks narrowly won 16-15 to reach the final against the All Blacks, Curry claimed he heard Mbonambi use an offensive term in reference to him.
The accusation ensued after social media audio clips from referee Ben O'Keeffe's microphone captured Curry indicating that Mbonambi had directed a racial epithet towards him. However, a recent video clip circulating on social media could hold the key to Mbonambi's vindication.
The contentious video footage shows England launching an offensive against the Boks' defense. At the same precise moment, Mbonambi can be faintly heard using the term which in Afrikaans eerily sounds similar to the alleged racial offensive statement. The term "wyd kant" or "wit kant" in Afrikaans translates to "wide side" or "white side", making perfect sense in the game context.
Shortly after this recorded moment, Curry approached referee O’Keeffe to raise his complaint. O'Keeffe assured Curry that he would handle the situation. The video footage has since grown prevalent on social media as fans and other Rugby lovers alike eagerly await World Rugby's verdict on the case.
For many South Africans, the allegation against Mbonambi is viewed as a gross misunderstanding of the Afrikaans language, which the Springboks often use during matches to throw off their opponents.