There were tears of sorrow from black former cricketers at Cricket SA's (CSA) transformation inquiry hearings this week as they relived their experiences.
Emotions ran high as former Proteas players Omar Henry, Roger Telemachus, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Aaron Phangiso and Alviro Petersen told harrowing stories of how they were allegedly unfairly deprived of playing and financial opportunities.
Former provincial players Brian Ndzundzu, Sonnyboy Letshela and Mpho Selowa also testified under oath at the CSA inquiry, dubbed the TRC of cricket, established to investigate racial discrimination within the organisation and to recommend remedial action.
Proceedings had to be adjourned twice during the week as former Proteas Henry and Lonwabo Tsotsobe broke down in tears as they told stories of how they were discriminated against during their playing days.
The chairperson of the hearings, advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, was reduced to tears after Letshela's testimony in which the former Gauteng player said discrimination drove him to attempt to take his life.
Letshela's attempt on his life hit home with Ntsebeza, who lost his son to suicide a few years ago.
Henry, 69, became the first black player to represent the Proteas and remembered how he wanted to come home in the middle of a Cricket World Cup in New Zealand in 1992.
Henry said he had an altercation with then captain Kepler Wessels after he had demanded to know the reasons why he was not being played.
"It was an unpleasant situation that had to be stopped by the manager," said Henry.
Telemachus told the inquiry that he nearly came to blows with then Proteas coach Mickey Arthur during the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies as the frustration of lack of game time got to him.
"I almost got physical with that coach, the assistant coach had to stop me. I was furious and hurt."
Telemachus, who played 37 ODIs and three T20s for the Proteas, said he wanted to return to SA in the middle of the World Cup but was stopped by then team manager Gulam Raja.
The same fate befell Tsotsobe, who played 37 ODIs and three T20s during the Proteas World Cup campaign.
Phangiso played for the Proteas between 2012 and 2018 but was limited to just 21 ODIs and 16 T20s. He went to three World Cup tournaments with the Proteas but played only two matches.
"If any bowler in the world had the stats that I have he would still be playing for the national team right now, and that is a fact," the now 37-year-old Phangiso said.
The players all alleged that they were subjected to discrimination of inconceivable proportions.
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