NATIONAL NEWS - An independent inquiry into retired Springbok player Ashwin Willemse’s studio walkout, where he “dropped the mic” because he could not work with people who he says patronised him, has found no evidence of racism.

The inquiry was confirmed by the chief executive at the broadcaster, Gideon Khobane, who said the findings and recommendations made by advocate Vincent Maleka showed no evidence of subtle racism between Naas Botha, Nick Mallet and Willemse.

Willemse last month accused Botha and Mallet of patronising him.

The findings paint a different picture to what social media users initially chanted, which was that the walkout was racially motivated. Elements of subtle racism were what social media users believed the conflict was about.

Many prominent South Africans jumped on the bandwagon before the preliminary investigations by the broadcaster. Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Mimane said: “What @Ashwinwillemse experienced yesterday is still sadly an experience for too many South Africans. We must build an equal society, where we confine to history a system of racial superiority and inferiority.  We must continue to pursue a divers South Africa howeve difficult it is.”

Read more on the Caxton publication, The Citizen.