August has kicked off with a slew of activities celebrating Women’s Month but it is in the boxing ring where they are still yet to be given their dues.
In fact, in almost all sporting scenarios, women are generally marginalised compared to their male counterparts, with pay disparity still a major concern.
For instance, the treatment of Banyana Banyana ahead of their Wafcon title defence in Morocco left much to be desired, despite their remarkable feat in the competition.
Safa, who are the custodians of national soccer, gave them a lukewarm send-off amid team selection turmoil which saw star striker Thembi Kgatlana opting out of the squad for what was attributed to personal reasons.
As expected, her absence dealt a blow to Banyana’s quest to defend the title when they were eliminated in the semifinals by fierce rivals and eventual champions Nigeria.
Sports minister Gayton McKenzie has made a bagful of promises on how he intends to knock boxing into shape but until he takes women’s boxing under his department’s wing, he will continue to sound like an empty vessel
Banyana Banyana’s woes mirror the challenges facing almost all women’s sport in the country, with their sisters in the ring being the hardest hit.
To say women’s boxing in the country is in shambles would be putting it mildly, yet they were officially allowed to fight professionally with the promulgation of the Boxing Act in 2001.
Despite being in the doldrums for more than 25 years, women are still punching below their weight, with many having opted to throw in the towel.
Those who soldier on do so with almost tragic consequences, owing to taking bouts outside their natural weight due to a lack of activity.
SA flyweight champion Noxolo Makhanavu nearly lost her life when she collapsed while trying to shed excess weight preparing for a bout taken at short notice.
SA junior-flyweight champion Nozwelethu Mathontsi vomited badly due to dehydration before her bout she also took at the eleventh hour.
Despite all these scary incidents, Boxing SA still dilly-dallies when it comes to women’s boxing and only offers lip service every time Women’s Month happens.
It was the same old rhetoric last Friday when a media briefing called to reveal the strides to be taken to redress women’s boxing turned out to be a talk show.
The meeting never unpacked what would be done to ensure the status quo changes, besides announcing fantasy planned shows to be promoted by women.
Revered former boxers such as Noni Tenge, who remains the most successful SA women boxer, Unathi Myekeni and others who blazed the trail are tossed by the wayside, instead of being roped in to impart their knowledge and share their experiences.
Sports minister Gayton McKenzie has made a bagful of promises on how he intends to knock boxing into shape but until he takes women’s boxing under his department’s wing, he will continue to sound like an empty vessel.
Daily Dispatch
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