The highly publicised Steve Tshwete Boxing League is yet to be decided despite sport, recreation, arts and culture MEC Sibulele Ngongo announcing its finale date in her budget speech last week.
Ngongo said R1m had already been set aside to organise the finale of the league, which was announced by sports minister Gayton McKenzie during the national boxing indaba at the International Convention Centre in February 2025.
McKenzie said the league would be held in all the provinces, culminating with a finale in KuGompo City, but did not specify the starting dates.
Ngongo said September had been targeted for the finale after all the provinces had held their events, adding that the province would field a strong contingent of boxers to maintain its status as the boxing hub in the country.
“The province is honoured to host the grand finale in September to coincide with Heritage Month, a fitting tribute occasion to pay tribute to the legacy of our stalwart first minister of sport and recreation, Steve Vukile Tshwete,” she said.
“This tournament not only honours his enduring contribution to sport and governance but also reaffirms the Eastern Cape’s position as a hub for producing world-class boxers.”
However, Boxing SA chief executive Tsholofelo Lejaka said the decision on the dates, venues in provinces and promoters was yet to be made.
“The preparations for the Steve Tshwete Boxing League are far advanced, and as BSA we are happy and thankful to the minister and the MECs for the role they have played so far,” he said.
“At an operational level, the implementation framework has been finalised, and the current focus is on finalising the province-specific details.”
While McKenzie’s announcement was well received in boxing circles, the interest was on the criteria to be used to select promoters for the league.
He said BSA would handle the selection process with the regulatory body to decide on whether the league would be catered to by international, national or development promoters.
Lejaka said no promoters had been appointed as yet, emphasising the decision would be made in the new financial year kicking off this week.
“An amount of R1m has already been ring-fenced for the boxing league from the national grant to the provinces.”
The cash injection will add to the R300,000 McKenzie’s department was channelling to the provinces to fund women’s boxing programmes, including the Women In Boxing Series, which concluded with a tournament promoted by Ola GMM Promotions at the Scenery Park community hall in KuGompo City on Sunday.
In the main bout, KwaZulu-Natal’s Nobengazi Booth scored a sensational fourth-round stoppage over Nomazithini Ndyambo to win the SA women’s junior middleweight title.
“This means the national grant to provinces has been increased from R300,000 to R1.3m to cater to the Steve Tshwete Boxing League,” Lejaka said.
Daily Dispatch
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