Karabo Mabilo has thrown her name into the hat to contest the Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) elections on March 5, where she will be contesting for the presidential seat.
Mabilo, 40, will be running against Queen Mofokeng, Steven Khanyile, Thokozane Mazibuko and Boyce Joko for the top job at the CGA. She's already familiar with the structures in CGA as she's in the executive committee as an additional board member, and serves as head of women’s committee in CGA.
The race for the presidential position was touted to be a two-horse race between Mazibuko and Khanyile, but when Mabilo accepted her nomination, the tide changed. Clubs gravitated towards her because of her professional background in the finance sector and her wanting to attract sponsors to the organisation. A CGA president serves for a four-year term.
"I'm excited to see CGA being a business-like institution, CGA is a marketing product," said Mabilo. "Sponsors are mainly interested in the return of investment. The question is how do we, as athletics, attract co-operations to say when you inject money in our code, this is how you're going to get your money back.
"No sponsor wants to be associated with the brand that is dwindling; that's not going to put them out there. Every company would love to see itself out there in the spotlight.
"We have a wealth of talent and whatever athlete is wearing that brand must wear it proudly because it is also a return on investment on them," she said.
The financial injection from the sponsors Mabilo has lined-up is set to be distributed to the development of junior, amateur and elite athletes and also the maintenance of sports facilities.
"I would love to focus on development, our development is somewhat lacking. This speaks also to the Olympics we had, there was no achievement we could be proud of as administrators because we are lacking in development. The reason we're lacking in that area is that we don't have sponsors.
"We have young people interested in athletics but their background is making it very difficult for them to take it as a career. The facilities in their area do not speak to their passion, there's a lack of facilities in their area; those are some of the things we need to look at," Mabilo said.
Mabilo promises new financial tide at CGA
Presidential contestant faces tough challenge in next month's poll
Image: Supplied
Karabo Mabilo has thrown her name into the hat to contest the Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) elections on March 5, where she will be contesting for the presidential seat.
Mabilo, 40, will be running against Queen Mofokeng, Steven Khanyile, Thokozane Mazibuko and Boyce Joko for the top job at the CGA. She's already familiar with the structures in CGA as she's in the executive committee as an additional board member, and serves as head of women’s committee in CGA.
The race for the presidential position was touted to be a two-horse race between Mazibuko and Khanyile, but when Mabilo accepted her nomination, the tide changed. Clubs gravitated towards her because of her professional background in the finance sector and her wanting to attract sponsors to the organisation. A CGA president serves for a four-year term.
"I'm excited to see CGA being a business-like institution, CGA is a marketing product," said Mabilo. "Sponsors are mainly interested in the return of investment. The question is how do we, as athletics, attract co-operations to say when you inject money in our code, this is how you're going to get your money back.
"No sponsor wants to be associated with the brand that is dwindling; that's not going to put them out there. Every company would love to see itself out there in the spotlight.
"We have a wealth of talent and whatever athlete is wearing that brand must wear it proudly because it is also a return on investment on them," she said.
The financial injection from the sponsors Mabilo has lined-up is set to be distributed to the development of junior, amateur and elite athletes and also the maintenance of sports facilities.
"I would love to focus on development, our development is somewhat lacking. This speaks also to the Olympics we had, there was no achievement we could be proud of as administrators because we are lacking in development. The reason we're lacking in that area is that we don't have sponsors.
"We have young people interested in athletics but their background is making it very difficult for them to take it as a career. The facilities in their area do not speak to their passion, there's a lack of facilities in their area; those are some of the things we need to look at," Mabilo said.
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