Post-1990 Unification

The South African world changed after F.W. de Klerk&s;s announcement that political prisoners would be released in 1990. On 29 June 1991, the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) was established, and this paved the way for South Africa&s;s membership to the ICC. This was a unification of a South African sporting organisation that went largely through the hands of National Sport Congress supporters, with the backing of the African National Congress. The non-racial South African Cricket Board was at an extreme financial disadvantage compared to the establishment South African Cricket Union at this time. There were also intense political developments surrounding unification at a national level. Initially, the St Augustine Club was hesitant in supporting cricket unity but later supported a former Western Province Cricket Board official, Percy Sonn, for the vice-presidency of the UCBSA. However, this unification did not bring about a change of racist attitude in white players, but St Augustine Cricket Club now had recourse to seats of official power when it addressed racism.