March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese has courted controversy over her comments about Olympic swimmer Tatjana Smith, who announced this week that she would switch her sporting nationality from South Africa to the Netherlands.
The 29-year-old stated that her career move was based on financial stability, support, and sustainability.
The news has received mixed reactions from the public – while some have wished Tatjana well, others have expressed their anger and frustration at the governance of local sporting bodies.
JACINTA SPARKS BACKLASH WITH COMMENTS ABOUT TATJANA SMITH
On her X account, Jacinta Ngobese reacted to the trending news of Tatjana Smith’s sporting nationality bombshell, tweeting: “She was never really South African. This is why we must fight for our country
The March and March anti-illegal immigrant activist added: “Switching countries like this will only happen to the kids of foreigners…She’s wrong for choosing another country”
She never really was South African, this is why we must fight for our country! Switching countries like this will only happen to the kids of foreigners— Jacinta Ngobese🇿🇦 (@JacintaNgobese) November 10, 2026
Jacinta’s tweet was met with backlash from South Africans who defended Tatjana, and who called out supposed corrupt government authorities.
@dramadelinquent: “That’s not fair. So she must be mistreated at home by her government, which doesn’t see her value? Nonsense”
@JusADayinSA: “What an unkind statement to make…She genuinely sounds conflicted, as if she were given no other choice. It is testimony to the plight of many South Africans that cannot excel here in SA under current circumstances. If this is her way to advance her career, then so be it. We should wish her well, not use her situation to push a narrative”.
@LeshNkoana: “This comment is not it. Call out the corrupt institution and the useless minister, but not the athlete who is getting robbed”.
Former Olympic swimmer Roland Schoeman added: “Tatjana gave South Africa four Olympic medals and years of her life representing our country with pride. To question her loyalty and suggest she was never really South African because of her ancestry is absolutely vile.
“She has done more for this country than the people questioning her belonging could ever take away from her”.
Tatjana gave South Africa four Olympic medals and years of her life representing our country with pride. To question her loyalty and suggest she was never really South African because of her ancestry is absolutely vile. She has done more for this country than the people…— Roland Schoeman (@Rolandschoeman) November 10, 2026
Jacinta defended her comments, claiming that Tatjana was essentially “unpatriotic”.
She told one critic: “We must deal with Gayton and whoever else is messing up with our sports stars, but we cannot use that as an excuse to switch countries, never”.
HOW IS SHE ELIGIBLE TO REPRESENT THE NETHERLANDS?
Tatjana Smith is eligible to represent the Netherlands because her father, René, was born in the Netherlands, which grants her both South African and Dutch citizenship.
René moved from Naaldwijk, the Netherlands, to South Africa in 1989, where he met Renske, a South African woman. The couple welcomed two daughters, Tatjana and her sister Fabienne, in Johannesburg
In 2021, Tatjana’s parents and sibling relocated to the Netherlands, where they now permanently live.
The swimming icon has made it clear that she has neither renounced her South African citizenship nor does she plan to move permanently to the Netherlands.
