- A majority of South Africans don't feel at home any time the reminiscent of the apartheid regime are put on display or talked about. That is why the lifting of the old apartheid South African flag during the national rugby team's (Springbok) tour to England and Ireland and at Oliver Tambo International Airport is seen with pinch of salt and attracts floodgates of condemnations.
The old flag with orange, white and blue stripes colours disappeared with apartheid in 1994 when democracy emerged in South Africa. A new flag, which was to symbolise inclusion of all people into the new nation, was thus adapted by the national unity government.
A kiosk outside the Walkers Stadium in Leicester was openly selling the old flag to tourists but was asked to stop by the management of Springbok. The old flag is now exclusively emotionally connected to the brutal apartheid system.
For most South Africans, the apartheid era symbolises "terror, discrimination and deprivation of rights and freedom', which is why anything apartheid-like should be treated as history.
"The old South African apartheid flag is a symbol of oppression, repression, racism and backwardness," argues Zizi Kodwa of the ruling African National Congress Youth Wing, describing the wavers of the "old Satanic flag" as baboons who represent a minority that is bent on leaking the painful old wounds.
"The actions of these puddles will not deter us from the main agenda of building a non-racial sport, we must remind them," he said.
Mr Kodwa said the apartheid spirit exists only among those who represent an "axis of evil" in South Africa today.
Most people wonder why some hooligans are hell bent on undermining South African democracy under the cloak of rugby.
"It was embarrassing to see so many of the flags being waved around," Springboks team manager Zola Yeye said, blaming wavers of ignoring the progress being brought by democracy. "Just because they think that way, doesn't give them the right to make a public spectacle of themselves and our country."
He said young men of the team should not have been reminded about the memories of the apartheid system. Mr Yeye maintained that his team does not care about the political ideologies of the wavers and that they will play rugby with all races.
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