Dicksy Ngqula has blamed the Eastern Cape government for his failure to pay R1.8-million in bonuses to four boxers. But a provincial official dismissed the claim, saying Ngqula had been paid R2-million ahead of his Premier Boxing League (PBL) tournament which ended in controversy earlier this year.Xolisani Ndongeni, Mabhuti Sinyabi, Makazole Tete and Toto Helebe won their respective weight divisions, worth R200000 apiece, while Ndongeni was the overall winner, which earned him a further bonus of R1-million.None of the boxers have seen a cent of this bonus and Ndongeni, who has since joined promoter Rodney Berman, is taking legal action against Ngqula.In a letter seen by the Sunday Times, Ngqula wrote: "I am owed money by the Eastern Cape government because I still had to stage two further fights of which will not exceed R400000 with the balance of R600000 used in an annuity in the name of Ndongeni. To achieve that - PBL will require a letter from Ndongeni indicating that such payment would be acceptable to them in settlement of the competition prizes."But Eastern Cape sports department head Mzolisi Matutu denied this, saying they had forked out R2-million.story_article_left1"We paid his money up front," Matutu said. We do not owe him even a cent. Our contract with him is the payment of purse money not prize money. Maybe he had a contract with other entities to pay prize monies, not us."Gambling and Betting Board chief executive Mabutho Zwane declined to say how much his organisation had paid in sponsorship.He said in a statement: "It is regrettable that our partnership and message have been overshadowed by the controversy over the nonpayment of the boxers. The ECGBB [Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board] has fulfilled all its commitments in terms of a Service Level Agreement entered into with PBL. The board has addressed correspondence to the PBL director regarding the failure to pay prize monies to the boxers to date and to remind him of his obligations."Ndongeni's attorney, Stan Fanaroff, told the Sunday Times this week that his client was willing to accept the R600000 offered by Ngqula.Boxing SA chair Muditambi Ravele said: "We requested our lawyers to follow this matter."Attempts to get comment from Ngqula proved fruitless...