Andre Esterhuizen Likes Comments Clapping Back at Anele Mdoda's Rugby Ban Call
- André Esterhuizen, who captained the Springboks against the Wallabies, engaged with fan comments on social media about his past K-word incident
- Radio and TV personality Anele Mdoda called for Esterhuizen to be banned from rugby over the 2012 racial slur
- Esterhuizen liked several comments on his social media posts, including one that directly addressed Mdoda's stance
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Source: UGC
Springbok captain André Esterhuizen has been quietly making his position known through his social media activity, liking a string of fan comments that pushed back against calls for him to face consequences over a racial slur he used as a teenage schoolboy in 2012.
The reaction comes after radio and TV personality Anele Mdoda weighed in on the matter. The 947 presenter took to X on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, responding to an article about the incident and his subsequent disciplinary action with a firm stance: "He should be banned from playing rugby period!"
Her post stirred fresh conversation online, arriving just as Esterhuizen was basking in the milestone of leading the Springboks as captain in their test match against the Wallabies over the weekend.
Esterhuizen's social media activity
The Springbok centre shared a post on his Instagram and Facebook pages on behalf of a brand he represents. Beneath the post, fans flooded the comments section with congratulations on his captaincy appointment, and Esterhuizen liked several of them.
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Among those he engaged with was a comment that framed the backlash as politically motivated. He also liked one that acknowledged the 2012 incident directly. Another comment, which he also liked, was addressed to him by name and took direct aim at Mdoda's call for a ban.
The fan said: "Andre, forget about Anele. Here we support you; a man is a culmination of his best moments, his mistakes and the growth in between. Keep on fighting the good fight, being yourself, and the great man we ALL KNOW YOU TO BE."
Source: Facebook
The 2012 incident and its aftermath
Esterhuizen was a teenage schoolboy when he used the K-word, and disciplinary action was taken against him at the time. The incident has resurfaced periodically throughout his professional career, drawing renewed scrutiny each time he reaches a new milestone in the sport.
His appointment as Springbok captain reignited that debate, with supporters arguing that his growth since the incident should take precedence, while critics like Mdoda maintain that the slur warrants stronger consequences regardless of the time elapsed.
Esterhuizen has not made any public statement addressing the controversy directly, but his liked comments have given fans a clear enough signal of where he stands.
Andre acknowledges past
In a previous report from Briefly News, Springboks captain Andre Esterhuizen has addressed his past and responded to Anele Mdoda’s call for him to be banned from rugby following the controversy.
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Source: Briefly News
