SA boxing is in a state of uncertainty with no clear direction on operational matters after sports minister Gayton McKenzie dissolved the Boxing SA board last week.
McKenzie cited soaring legal costs incurred by his department to contest the court action brought by the National Professional Boxing Promoters’ Association (NPBPA) over the appointment of the board by his predecessor, Zizi Kodwa, without consultation.
The move comes just when the board was in the process of filling vacant posts, including that of chief executive and chief financial officer.
Mandla Ntlanganiso, who has been acting CEO, has also been sidelined by the promoters’ court action challenging his reinstatement by the board which was dissolved in December.
McKenzie said he would announce interim measures to ensure operations and activities were not affected.
However, with no time frames given and no word coming from him, boxing stakeholders are in limbo.
In a media briefing to celebrate yet another victory in their ongoing legal battle against BSA and the department, the promoters’ association said McKenzie’s disbanding of the board meant all the subcommittees had ceased to exist.
It is the second time the BSA board has been dissolved in the space of nine months, an unprecedented move since the body was formed with the introduction of the Boxing Act in 2001.
Despite the vacuum, the association lauded McKenzie for taking the first step towards restoring normality in the sport.
“NPBPA welcomes the decision of the minister to dissolve the delinquent erstwhile board which constantly spat in the face of the judiciary with respect to its glaring failure to implement the recent Pretoria high court order of August 7,” it said.
“We are cautiously optimistic with the minister’s attitude and hope for an urgent round-table discussion for the way forward so that interim structures by the minister can be legally compliant with the Act.”
NPBPA chair Ayanda Matiti said the dissolution of the board meant the dissolution of subcommittees such as sanctioning and ratings.
“I think it means until a new structure is appointed there is no-one to sanction the tournaments but those that had already been approved will go ahead,” Matiti said.
The silence from McKenzie has left the sport in a state of uncertainty.
The board chaired by Sifiso Shongwe, with members Nande Mheshe, Rommy Titus, Luxolo September, Mike Sodo, Luvuyo Baleni and Koketjo Tsebe, was due to appoint a chief financial officer after shortlisting a candidate for the position.
“We had also already shortlisted for the position of the CEO when we were dissolved,” a board member, who did not want to be named, said.
The Nelson Mandela birthday celebrations tournament which was postponed from August 31 in Midrand to September 14 is expected to proceed as planned.
However, it will be interesting to see if other planned shows such as the one in Sada on September 28 are given the green light.
This event is partly organised by BSA as part of development tournaments funded by the Eastern Cape department of sport, recreation, arts and culture.
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