Potchefstroom – A cricket match between the Knights and the North West Dragons at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom was marred by a disturbing racist incident last Saturday, resulting in a young boy and his guardians being asked to leave the stadium.
The incident occurred late in the one-day match while Knights batter, Lesego Senokwane, was fielding near the boundary close to the OFM suite. According to Knights captain, Dane Piedt, a child repeatedly called Senokwane a "baboon."
Piedt told City Press, "Adults sitting there allegedly encouraged the child to shout ‘baboon, baboon’. Lesego could hear someone behind the group of children say: 'Call him a baboon, call him a baboon.'"
Senokwane initially tried to ignore the taunts, hoping they would cease. However, the abuse persisted for an entire over. "Lesego ignored it initially, thinking it would stop. But it lasted for an entire over. After the over, Lesego approached the umpires (Bongani Jele and Siphelele Gasa) and said it needed to stop," Piedt explained.
The situation prompted Piedt to take a stand. "I also refused to continue with the match until something was done. The umpires agreed. They, along with the match referee, handled the situation well. We suspended the match for 10 minutes."
Match referee, Zed Ndamane, intervened, contacting Dragons executive, Ismail Minty. Accompanied by six security guards, Minty went to the area where the incident took place. They identified a child, approximately 10 years old, as the one who had shouted the racial slur.
While Minty stated that they could not confirm whether adults had encouraged the child, the child admitted to the act and apologised. The North West Cricket CEO said the child's "foster grandma and grandpa" were seated some 300 metres away. Dragons management escorted the child and his guardians out of the stadium.
Piedt, a Proteas spinner, expressed his disappointment, saying, "It's very disappointing that something like this happens in 2025. I made sure Lesego was okay. He handled it much better than I would have. He is naturally a calm person," adding, "He was very disappointed."
Piedt also revealed a prior negative experience in Potchefstroom. "I don't really like playing in Potchefstroom. In 2010, people told Rory Kleinveldt and me to 'go and piss outside' after we won a match. That's always at the back of my mind when I go to that area."
He further noted the unfortunate normality of such incidents for players of colour. "The players of colour in the team say we're not surprised it happened because we've had such experiences in Potchefstroom before. We're just surprised that it was innocent children. Racism is learnt."
Piedt emphasized the need for public awareness, stating, "There's an investigation now, but, even if nothing happens, I just want it to come out publicly. People need to know what's happening. These kinds of things cannot continue. Players are affected by this. Lesego did nothing, he didn’t talk to anyone, and then this is shouted at him."
Andrew Breetzke, CEO of the SA Cricketers’ Association (Saca), condemned the incident, stating, "Player wellbeing and safety are non-negotiable for Saca. It is not limited to physical safety but also psychological safety. We are collaborating with Cricket SA (CSA) to ensure the incident is properly investigated."
CSA has requested more information from North West Cricket, who released a statement saying they had already informed CSA of the incident earlier in the week. "We take such matters extremely seriously," the statement read, adding that the union has zero tolerance for racism and discrimination. To further our stance and raise awareness, we will implement additional measures such as signboards, announcements and messages on the scoreboard." "We support all players from all unions and remain committed to fostering an environment that is inclusive, respectful and welcoming for everyone."
Senokwane's Knights teammate, Dominic Hendricks, confirmed that Senokwane was coping. "He assured me he is okay," said Hendricks, who believes stronger consequences are needed for racism at sports events. "Removing offenders from the stadium is not enough. Racism is a serious offence, and we do not fully understand the extent to which these actions affect individuals."
Senokwane, 27, previously played for North West and is currently the leading run scorer in the local four-day series, boasting 553 runs in eight innings with an average close to 70. This incident casts a shadow over his impressive performance and highlights the ongoing struggle against racism in South African sport.
