Netball SA president Cecilia Molokwane claims that the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) elections will not be free and fair this weekend.  

Molokwane is running for the first and second vice-president positions. But she is convinced that the winners of the respective positions at the polls may have already been decided.

“The elections will not be free and fair. I am 100% sure of that,” said Molokwane. The Sascoc board member blasted the organisation, saying it’s all about who you know rather than what you can do for the sport. “Sascoc is all about assembling power, and one person is in complete charge, and I don’t see that changing on Saturday. Nothing got done correctly, and there is a faction. I don’t care who attends the elections, but what I know is that it is not about what you do for your federation, but who you know,” she said.

Molokwane, who helped to bring Africa’s first International Netball Federation World Cup hosted in Cape Town in 2023, said she would not change her strong view regarding the elections.

“I won’t be surprised if I don’t win because a lot is going against me. People are in the elections for personal gain and don’t have credentials,” she said.  

Molokwane is part of the Sascoc board members who launched a dispute against the reinstatement of acting president Barry Hendricks that got dismissed by the International Olympic Committee a few weeks ago.

Sascoc election facilitator and member of the IOC Sam Ramsamy refused to entertain any negative talks about the election, but he promised that it would be conducted freely and fair.

“Everyone will be treated with respect. We stand for free and fair elections,” said Ramsamy.

Sascoc acting CEO Ravi Govender promised free and fair elections and said he was working closely with Ramsamy to make sure that everything is above board. “We don’t want court cases, fights, and protests,” said Govender.