In 2008, the South African Sports Minister claimed under the National Sport and Recreation Act, 1998, that the Springbok colours copyright had been transferred to the government and the SARU had been issuing it illegally and requested they cease using it. However, legal writers stated that the South African government's claim had expired in 2007 while SARU's copyright still was valid and pursuant to the case of "In re: Certification of the Constitution of the RSA 1996", if the government tried to stop the SARU issuing Springbok colours, then the government would be liable to pay millions of Rands in compensation. In 2013, as part of their "Yesterday's Heroes" programme, SARU retrospectively awarded Springbok colours to all non-whites who had played for a South African national team such as the black SAARB Leopards and the Coloured Proteas.