Springbok prop Toks van der Linde was found guilty of racism by a disciplinary committee of South Africa's rugby union in Cape Town yesterday after he cursed a black woman with a derogatory racial slur.

Van der Linde was fined 10,000 rand (£1,410 approximately) and was suspended from all rugby for six months, from May 15th to November 15th.

Five months of the sentence has been suspended for a year, however, on condition he does not commit any further act of racism. The disciplinary action effectively allows Van der Linde to start training and playing next week.

South Africa's controlling sports body, the National Sports Council (NSC), immediately rejected the punishment, saying Van der Linde should have been banned for life.

NSC president Mluleki George said it was "a major disappointment. It's typical of the mentality of rugby in this country."

There were earlier calls for a hefty suspension of Van der Linde, and the decision is certain to provoke further criticism of South African rugby.

Chris Heunis, who chaired the hearing, had a different version: "The disciplinary committee hopes that this will send out a strong message, not only to players, but also to officials, that racism will not be tolerated on or off the field of play."

Van der Linde was sent home from New Zealand in disgrace last month after he called a Christchurch-based black South African woman a "kaffir", a racial insult deeply demeaning to black people.

The woman, Bernardine Oram, approached members of the Western Stormers team at a central bar in Christchurch. She produced a 10-rand note to show the players she was a fellow South African. Van Der Linde reportedly cursed and abused her.

"I cried my heart out because I was so disappointed," Oram said.

Van der Linde's Western Stormers team had already slapped a fine of £1,200 on the player as a result of the incident.

His most recent fine is payable to Club Aid, a development project of the South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU).