Springbok emblem to stay

South Africa will be allowed to continue to use the Springbok emblem for the foreseeable future - despite calls to scrap it because some believe it is divisive.

South Africa's Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile and South African Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins and his deputy Mark Alexander agreed to keep the Springbok at a meeting in Cape Town today.

"We enjoyed a very positive meeting with the sports minister in which issues of mutual interest were discussed," Hoskins reported.

"He explained that legislation requiring the national emblem to be worn on the left-hand side of the jersey of national sports federations will be promulgated by the end of this year.

"We informed him of the earlier decision of the President's Council to fall in line with national legislation.

"The minister also advised us that the commercial emblem of national sporting federations - in rugby's case the Springbok - can be utilised as federations deem fit, so long as that use does not compromise the national emblem."

Hoskins will brief the SARU President's Council of the meeting at an extraordinary council meeting in Cape Town on December 1.