Minister of Sports Gayton McKenzie has dissolved the recently appointed board of Boxing South Africa, saying he decided in the “interest of Boxing South Africa and the sport as a whole”.
McKenzie's decision comes just a day after the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture gave the minister 21 one days to produce a detailed plan of action to address the challenges plaguing the entity.
The committee had also called for a forensic investigation into Boxing South Africa’s affairs (BSA).
The board chaired by Sifiso Shongwe was appointed by predecessor Zizi Kodwa in May. However, the appointment faced legal action by The National Professional Boxing Promoters’ Association (NPBPA) which opposed the appointment on the basis consultation was not done.
McKenzie, who had previously indicated the he will oppose the matter in court, has backtracked on his decision stating that spending excessive amounts on litigation undesirable.
“The case is costing the Department excessive amounts of money, and it is undesirable to proceed with spending monies on ongoing litigation. The minister has been clear that funds allocated to the department must be prudently used for the benefit of athletes and creatives.
“After consulting with the current board of Boxing South Africa, the minister has taken a decision not to continue to oppose the application brought by the NPBPA. Consequently, the minister will dissolve the board of Boxing South Africa. This decision is taken in the interest of Boxing South Africa and the sport as a whole,“ the department said in a statement.
Boxing South Africa has been plagued by governance issues for several years. During the presentation of its annual report to the Committee on Tuesday, BSA revealed that it had to seek money from the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture to pay staff salaries after running out of its allocated budget in December three months before the end of the financial year.
The minister thanked the board for its efforts in trying to turn things around at BSA. “I would like to express gratitude to the outgoing board for the sterling work that they have done during the few months they were in office.
“This decision is in no way a reflection on them or their efforts, but restarting the appointment process is now the most responsible thing we can do. I would like to thank them for their understanding of the decision and for putting the sport first,” the minister said.
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