Tribute presented by the Minister of Sport and
Recreation South Africa (SRSA), Hon. Mr Fikile Mbalula
(MP) on the occasion of Mr John Smit’s Tribute Dinner at
Sandton Convention Centre, Pavilion Room,
Republic of South Africa, Gauteng Province, Sandton,
26 June 2012.
Greetings and Salutations!!!
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am grateful and full of joy for this precious
prospect of delivering this Tribute after one of our own, the son of our
African soil, Mr John Smit, at the instance and invitation by the Smit family.
It is with great pleasure and privilege for me to stand in front of you this
evening humbled by the immense contribution of John Smit in the history
of Rugby Football in the Republic of South Africa (RSA).
Indeed, John Smit is the most celebrated rugby hero in the history of the
Republic; as having achieved Honours for his immense triumphs on the
rugby field when he led our country to win coveted IRB Team of the Year
Award in 2004 as well as the Tri-Nations Cup title the same year, including
the IRB World Cup Championships in 2007, having 67 Springbok caps of
which 65 as hooker, two as prop, 42 as captain and 15 points in Tests (3
tries). Appearing in 100 Tests and finally achieving the accolade of being
an International Captain of All Time receiving Most Caps.
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Mr John Smit is widely recognized as the “best Test Captain” to walk the
planet and heroically led South Africa in the bruising battles for the Webb
Ellis IRB World Cup in both 2007 and 2011; and has became a great
achiever and great man in many senses. Firstly, he played for the South
Africa Under 21 squad and became the Captain that won the
SANZAR/UAR U21 Championships title in Argentina. He is a celebrated
University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN) alumnus to captain the Springboks
taking the baton from the other two World Cup winners from 1995, Joel
Stransky and Mark Andrews. Others who hail from the Under 20 Rugby of
UKZN and graduated to be Springboks include Bertram Vanderplank and
Bill Payn both members of ‘The Originals’, the first official team established
100 years ago, in 1912 as well as threesome of Claasen, Teichmann and
Bedford, the Springbok captains. Secondly, he served in the Springbok for
an effective 12 years and now considers retirement. He was extremely
sanctified with towering rugby intellect and strength matched only by his
integrity as a springbok hooker.
John started his journey at school as a member of the South African
Schools team and represented the Blue Bulls at the 1996 Coca-Cola
Craven Week.
He is known to hold deep personal confidence and
assurance and this is displayed by his accomplishments as a 50th captain
of the South African national Rugby team, switching from playing as a
hooker, playing twice for the Springboks ‘off-the-bench’ as a ‘prop’ prior
being utilized as a ‘tight-head prop’ for the 2008 end of year Tests before
being the “most-capped forward in the Springboks history.
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Now, John wants to pursue many other public responsibilities of great
importance especially in the field of education and sport.
We are
delighted by this option to assist our government in its pursuit for better
education and sport opportunities for all young South Africans regardless
of socio-economic backgrounds.
We are equally exited for his intention to establish a ‘John Smit
Foundation’ to support the under-privileged youth who continue to
succeed academically and achieving both educational and sporting
excellence but who are coming from poor and disadvantaged
backgrounds especially those from historically neglected communities.
I therefore trust that it would be a befitting acclamation to the memory of
this great man and patriot, John Smit, particularly after the recent
triumphant and exultant victory of the ‘Baby Bokkie’; in the last weekend
winning the under 20 World Rugby Championships in Newlands, Cape
Town. John Smit, himself, was nominated a Young Player of the Year in
1999 before graduating into the Springbok at the age of 22 years old. This
historical victory by the ‘Baby Bokkie’ reminded me of the gruesome
defeat of England by the Springboks in the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Like in
the 2007 World Cup; the 2012 Under 20 squad set themselves clear goals
from the start; which are: “Restore Honour and Respect to the South
African Rugby, The Flag as well as the Springbok Jersey.
I believe with the help of people like John to build a strong second layer
of rugby in the Republic we will go a long way in promoting grassroots
sport development in the country.
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With his foundation I hope we will develop and nurture young talent and
channel them towards elite sport and become professional rugby players
in South Africa. I believe with the strength and dedication of our under 20
team and many more who can be identified in other rugby teams and
schools; we can build more champions.
Our sport and rugby foundation is becoming solid by the days as a result
we need compatriots like John to join forces with the democratic
government to put sport into greater heights and South Africa to be
always counted as number one rugby sporting nation in the world of
nations.
I would, therefore, like to take this opportunity to thank the Smit family for
borrowing us John to play for our nation. We want to thank John for
dedicating his whole life in the betterment and upliftment of rugby in
particular and sport in general in the Republic of South Africa. We wish
you well in your future endevours!
Thank you.
END!
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