Zizi Kodwa wants new Boxing SA board to improve sport’s bad image

Sports minister Zizi Kodwa wants the new Boxing South Africa (BSA) board that he’ll appoint at the end of the year to turn around the sport’s dented image and build the organisation.

The three-year term of the incumbent executive, which is facing increasing criticism from various quarters, comes to an end in December. Boxing legislation requires the sports minister to appoint board members every three years.

“Since my first engagement with BSA, I’ve raised my unhappiness about firstly, the level [of] the state of boxing in the country [and] secondly, we need to stabilise at a leadership level of BSA,” Kodwa, who was appointed in March, told TimesLIVE on Thursday.

He also criticised the regulator in his speech at the boxing awards in Durban last month. 

“There's been a lot of ups and downs, which has not inspired either the promoters or the sport, it has disrupted the sport,” he said. “There's been a lot that has been coming from different angles, allegations.” 

Kodwa said one burning issue was that of fired CEO Moffat Qithi, who has won his case against BSA at the CCMA and in the labour court.

“In my last engagement ... they promised me that all those issues, allegations, they will come back to me and make sure they are sorted out,” said the minister.

One of the most damning claims against BSA was levelled by outgoing acting CEO Cindy Nkomo in her resignation letter in late 2021. She detailed interference by board members in operational issues.

Kodwa did not want to be drawn on specifics, but said he was looking to the future.

“Their term is coming to an end. With that, I'm not saying we must leave out any allegation that is coming out, but my focus now is a new board ... and [I must] make sure I get people who really change the image, a negative image about boxing, but also lift up and build BSA.”

Kodwa said his department had received “hundreds” of applications for board positions, with many applicants knowing the sport well. He does have the option of appointing incumbents.