Ntlanganiso welcomes new Boxing SA board

Mandla Ntlanganiso is looking forward to working with newly appointed board of Boxing SA appointed by sports minister Zizi Kodwa on Tuesday last week.

There has been no board since December and Kodwa appointed Ntlanganiso to keep it together while he was going through some legal battles with the National Professional Boxing Promoters Association (NPBPA). The organisation had interdicted the board Kodwa had appointed in December, arguing the minister did not consult with them as per the provisions of the South African Boxing Act (2011).

Kodwa had to start the process all over again, from advertising, interviews, shortlisting to ultimately naming the seven individuals for the new board. The board comprising of chairperson Sifiso Shongwe, Sakhiwo Sodo, Romy Titus, Koketso Tsebe, Luvuyo Precious Bayeni, Luxolo September and Nandi Mheshe was named last week Tuesday and will expire in three years.

Ntlanganiso, originally employed as COO, did a good job as the acting accounting authority, according to many boxing stakeholders.

"On behalf of the Boxing SA management and staff we are looking forward to working with you and we trust and hope that this is the genesis of a new positive era to reposition and repackage brand Boxing SA for excellence," said Ntlanganiso.

"The vision of Boxing SA is to be a leading sport code in SA and a world-class boxing authority and your appointment brings hope and excitement to the boxing fraternity at large.

"We have been waiting with bated breaths for this moment and it finally came,  it is now time to roll our sleeves and build our beloved sport to take the rightful position of being in the top two of sporting codes in the country, as it used to be in the past," said Ntlanganiso in a letter he wrote the board of Boxing SA.

"We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to the minister of sport, arts, and culture Zizi Kodwa for providing leadership and guidance during this phase, His support together with department executives' leadership and management cannot go unnoticed as being events continued and three world champions were produced during this period."

They are IBO flyweight champ Jackson Chauke, IBF junior flyweight holder Sivenathi Nontshinga and IBO junior bantamweight champ Ricardo Malajika. Ntlanganiso had to risk it all by sanctioning these three boxers to fight for the titles because there was no sanctioning committee after the NPBPA had successfully prevented, by law, the appointment of the board in December.

Such committees are appointed by the board of Boxing SA.

"More than 10 tournaments were held across the country and boxers managed to put bread on the table as boxing is the only income they have," said Ntlanganiso.

"This is an achievement that was going to be accomplished if the minister did not intervene.

"We are equally pleased that the minister has appointed a dynamic team of experienced individuals with skills and attributes that we believe will enhance the image of the entity and propel boxing to attain her vision. Noting the challenges we have faced in the recent past, we  did not rest but worked hard to come up with strategies and plans to reposition our beloved spot.

"We have since declared this year as the year of boxing glove. We have bold plans that we hope and trust that the board will endorse and augment moving forward as discussed during the historic Boxing Symposium held on 26 April 2024 at Arena Holdings in Johannesburg.

"The corporate partners with Arena Holdings is one strategic milestone we have attained during this sera. The establishment of South African Boxing Ambassadors was welcomed by the boxing fraternity and it proved to be a critical element to bring back our boxing legends to the main stream of boxing in the country.'

"The challenges before us are not insurmountable, with this new leadership collective we  believe that boxing will thrive once again we welcome the new board to Boxing South Africa family, looking forward to a great year of boxing."