Only one member retained from outgoing BSA board

Irritation from government, especially from the office of sports minister Zizi Kodwa, regarding the mess that was going on in boxing was such that he retained only one member from the outgoing board of Boxing SA on Tuesday.

That member is Sakhiwo Sodo, who also served as chairperson of the sanctioning committee.

The term of the new board comprising chairman Sfiso Shongwe, Sodo, Romy Titus, Luxolo September, Nande Mshe, Princess Nongoma and Marry Sitata will expire on December 11 2026. 

The expectation was that at least three members of the old order would be retained for the sake of continuity but Kodwa would not buy into that.

The outgoing board made headlines for the wrong reasons. They abandoned the cockpit and it turned out to be like the aircraft was either on autopilot or someone else from outside was the new pilot and the flight landed in murky waters.

Regulations were flagrantly disregarded and whoever questioned the establishment’s divide-and-rule tactics had their licence suspended. 

Kodwa flashed warning signs during BSA’s annual awards ceremony in Durban earlier this year.

Ordinarily the sports ministry would own such an event as boxing here is governed by an act of parliament but Kodwa distanced his office from it.

He then made a promise to bring on board people who will change the negative image about boxing.

In his speech yesterday he said the first task of the new board would be to appoint a full-time CEO.

Board member Eric Sithole was acting, and BSA has not had a permanent CEO since  August 2020, after the sudden resignation by Tsholofelo Lejaka.

“If you look at the composition of the new board they bring diverse expertise, skills and so on, it’s the people who bring the stability we need in BSA," said Kodwa.

The new board will also need to speedily deal with the issue of the COO because Mandla Nhlanganiso was suspended in August and he is yet to be charged.

Shongwe, who has a marketing and broadcasting background, said he has extensive knowledge of the sport and a decent background of understanding the major players and the kind of challenges facing boxing.

He organised about 12 tournaments as a promoter under the banner of The Walt Disney Africa Company last year.

“When you look at the sport; it’s a sore story based on the history of boxing. I am sure to take it to the new age. You need people who are going to bring in different ideas, ventilate new ways of achieving objectives and outcomes which could be simpler and more efficient,” said Shongwe.