The anti-apartheid movement in South Africa was invigorated by the Springbok Tour of New Zealand in 1981. The protest in which various New Zealander's were involved in sent a strong message to South African's that they do not accept the apartheid-regime in South Africa. Nelson Mandela, an important figure in South Africa's history, recalls that whilst imprisoned on Robin island the prisoners held there, when told about the events in which led to the cancellation of the Waikato-Springbok game, "it was like the sun came out".
The movement in New Zealand inspired South African's to continue to protest against the apartheid regime in which they lived in. Therefore it represented New Zealand's pitch, and was apart of the long process in which led to the political change in South Africa, a historical change in which apartheid would end.
For those in South Africa, the actions of those New Zealanders whom put themselves at harms-way in order to make a stand against a cause in which was in another different country, invigorated the South Africans to do the same. It helped to bring light to their cause, knowing that another country backed them; giving them hope that apartheid really could end.
The movement in New Zealand inspired South African's to continue to protest against the apartheid regime in which they lived in. Therefore it represented New Zealand's pitch, and was apart of the long process in which led to the political change in South Africa, a historical change in which apartheid would end.
For those in South Africa, the actions of those New Zealanders whom put themselves at harms-way in order to make a stand against a cause in which was in another different country, invigorated the South Africans to do the same. It helped to bring light to their cause, knowing that another country backed them; giving them hope that apartheid really could end.
In February 1990, Nelson Mandela had been freed from prison and inaugurated as the first democratically elected state president of South Africa on the 10th May 1994. Many believe that the 1981 Springbok Tour protests was part of a long process that led to this significant change in South Africa and therefore this led to a partial repair to New Zealand's image overall in the international community.