Sewgolum Allowed In Natal Open

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30954, 10 January 1966, Page 11

Sewgolum Allowed In Natal Open

CN Z.PA. -neuter—Copyright) GERMISTON (Transvaal), January 8.

Sewsunker Sewgolum, the Durban-born Indian golfer, learned today that he had beaten South Africa’s sport colour bar and would be allowed to defend his title in the Natal Open next month.

But he would make no comment on the statement by the South African Minister of Planning, Mr J. F. W. Haak, that he would not be allowed to play in the Western Province championships in Cape Town later this month. "1 am only interested in playing golf. Politics do not concern me,” he said as he walked between greens on the last day of the Professional Golfers’ Association tournament at Germiston, where he is the only competitor.

The statement by Mr Haak that Sewgolum would be able to defend his title came only two days after the Natal Golf Union had been informed by the Department of Planning that permission for him to play in the tournament would not be granted. Only a few hours earlier Government officials had said that there would henceforth be no exception to the policy that all sport in South Africa should be racially segregated. Sewgolum, in a class alone among non-white golfers in South Africa, has been a consistent exception to this rule. Observers said it appeared that Sewgolum’s days of playing in major tournaments in South Africa were numbered. Mr Haak said he would allow him to play in the Natal Open “only on the grounds that he has in the past taken part in the tournament. His future participation in the Natal tournament will receive my attention at a suitable time.

“As far as the western province open tournament is concerned, I stand by the decision to refuse permission for him to take part on the grounds that he has not taken part in it in the past and because no extension of mixed golf tournaments will be per- ! mitted.”