EskomSePush, the app created by Herman Maritz and Dan Wells that most South Africans use to find the load shedding schedules for their area using “push” notifications, is the latest to comment on the Rugby World Cup debacle involving Springbok Mbongeni Mbonambi and England’s Tom Curry.
Maritz said its change to EskomSeKant on X (previously Twitter) is an effort “to shine a light when things are a bit dark (pun intended), so it is just logical to try and lighten the mood a bit with the stressful weekend ahead and the news stories.”
He said the name change is not permanent, “but we’re definitely feeling Bok fever like everyone else”.
Maritz sent TechCentral a screenshot of how the idea evolved, including a letter to The Guardian from a Johannesburg resident trying to explain the language options available to South Africans, which is hilarious in itself.
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And smile they did – commentators on X were delighted:
- “Poetry” wrote on X: “EskomSePush changed their name to EskomSeKant due to the rugby thing for Bongi Mbonambi– I can’t breathe.”
- @PaulHMason: “I’ve just noticed that my favourite app is now referring to itself as EskomSeKant. 🤣”
- @plaaystationn said: “Fairs 😭 they changed eskomsep*** to eskomsekant while @NotYetUhuru wrote: “EskomSeKant is taking me out.”
World Rugby said on Thursday that it will not charge Mbonambi, who plays hooker, for the alleged use of discriminatory language against Curry, who plays flank, due to “insufficient evidence”.
The incident is alleged to have occurred during the Boks’ 16-15 World Cup victory over England in Paris last Saturday. Curry said to referee Brian O’Keeffe during the game: “Sir, if their hooker calls me a white c***, what do I do?” O’Keeffe replied: “Nothing, please. I’ll be on it.”
No further action will be taken against the Mbonambi.
TCS | Herman Maritz on building EskomSePush – and what comes next
“It is important to note that World Rugby accepts that Tom Curry made the allegations in good faith, and that there is no suggestion that the allegation was deliberately false or malicious,” World Rugby said.
Whatever you say about South Africa and its many problems, the default position of its people is to laugh about their predicament. They’ll find humour in any situation – unlike the English, whose default position, according to many South African sports fans, anyway, is to complain to nanny. – © 2023 NewsCentral Media
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