New BSA chief pledges to reignite love for boxing

The appointment last week of Mandla Ntlanganiso as the accounting authority for Boxing SA by sports minister Zizi Kodwa gives hope for some semblance of stability while the court matter between Kodwa and the National Professional Boxing Promoters' Association is being addressed.

In a statement Kodwa said: “The appointment has been made in concurrence with National Treasury, in terms of section 49(2) of the Public Finance Management Act, which states that if a public entity has a board or other controlling body, that board or controlling body is the accounting authority.

“Or does not have a controlling body, the CEO, or the other person in charge of the public entity is the accounting authority for that public entity unless specific legislation applicable to that public entity designates another person as accounting officer.

“I congratulate Ntlanganiso and wish him well in his new appointment. He can certainly count on my guidance and the department’s support."

Ntlanganiso has been acting as CEO for the regulator since November. He said: "I am grateful by the vote of confidence from the minister, having so many people to do the job; mine is to do the best I can so that boxing takes its position in the country and Africa.

“It’s a different ball game altogether; I need to go to the boardroom to see if things are aligned and that the sport happens; both the sanctioning and ratings committee must continue because they are the heartbeat of boxing.

“It has been proven that SA has talent. In a space of less than four weeks, we have two world champions [Jackson Chauke IBO flyweight and Sivenathi Nontshinga IBF junior-flyweight].”

He urged South Africans to support Kevin Lerena who will face undefeated Australian heavyweight Justus Huni on the undercard of the eagerly awaited heavyweight match between Anthony Joshua and Francis Nganou at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 8.