Kodwa taking fistic sport back

Zizi Kodwa is failing boxing. His actions, as sports minister, of appointing the seven-member board of Boxing SA without consulting with relevant stakeholders can best described asbringing the sport into disrepute.

The SA Boxing Act No 11 of 2001, which governs the fistic sport, says: “The minister must appoint the members of Boxing SA on a part-time basis after consultation with the association or federation of associations.”

I hear noise from ordinary licensees saying Kodwa's action of advising licencees to nominate the person they preferred to be on the board of Boxing SA is equivalent to consultation.

But the man who should have confirmed that by way of taking action when his board was successfully interdicted by the court is Kodwa. 

That board, chaired by Sfiso Shongwe, was in the office for one day. The National Professional Boxing Promoters Association (NPBPA) took Kodwa to court  where they argued successfully that he did not consult with them before appointing the board.

Kodwa lost the court interdict in December.

Then the ANC NEC and Legotla had a two-day meeting in Birchwood Hotel towards the end of January. Kodwa was interviewed on the site and a question was asked on what was happening in boxing. His response was that it was just a "small matter" and that they have appealed.

But the truth is that Kodwa did not challenge it and it has now been enrolled as unopposed matter with the high court.

In the event NPBPA are successful, it means promoters will be granted a permanent order with the process of appointing the board.

Kodwa last month appointed Mandla Ntlanganiso as accounting authority, in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA, to effectively replace the board temporarily.

All that is foreign to the general fight public. No one from the ministry has seen the need to show face and explain this in simple English for all to understand.

The general fight fraternity is just happy to see tournaments being sanctioned with fighters, trainers, managers and matchmakers making money. It is less interested in boardroom politics.

There is no authoritative voice regarding what is going on in boxing. This has never happened since government got involved in the administration of this fistic sport in 1998.  

Ntlanganiso last week appointed both the ratings and sanctioning committees. But the SA Boxing Act No 11 of 2001 states that the board of Boxing SA must appoint the sanctioning and ratings committees, which are necessary for the professional game to operate.

Ntlanganiso says he consulted with the minister's office prior to making these appointments – as his requirements stipulated in his appointment letter. The act, on the other hand, says it is only the board of  Boxing SA that must appoint those committees.

The NPBPA has now approached the court on these matters  – unlawful appointment of Ntlanganiso and his appointment of the two sub-committees.

The promoters association also wants the court to rule that any sanctioning of fights and tournaments by Boxing SA is “unlawful and invalid”. The deafening silence from Kodwa leaves much to be desired.