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Transformation: Mbalula threatens tough action

Federation that fail to deliver on agreed transformation targets will face expulsion from SA sport, Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula warned at the weekend.

Addressing the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) council in Johannesburg, Mbalula said memorandums of agreement would be signed with several federations next month, including Cricket South Africa, SA Rugby Union and the SA Football Association.

More would follow later in the year.

"For those in the next years who will not [achieve] what is agreed to, we talk about consequences," Mbalula said.

"We will not support any federation that seeks to bid [to host international events], we will withdraw national colours."

All federations must belong to Sascoc to enjoy national status.

Mbalula and Sascoc will also sign memorandums of agreement with Netball SA and Athletics SA on April 21. The Eminent Persons Group is working with federations to come up with targets that are workable for them individually.

Mbalula said the reason transformation had failed to date was because of the focus on quotas.

"We did nothing from there - there was no blueprint, there was no structured way of doing things . What we did was to entertain these [apartheid] apologists and denialists."

Mbalula also spoke about his proposed ticket levy system aimed at raising money for development, insisting he did not want fans to bear the cost.

Mbalula also announced that his department would work closely with the struggling SA National Boxing Organisation this year, and would review some aspects of the SA Sports Awards.

Sascoc president Gideon Sam said federations, most of which are struggling financially, needed to find money solutions.

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