Kodwa rescinds state attorney letter, tells new boxing board to start work

Sports minister Zizi Kodwa is sticking to his guns in a legal spat with a group of promoters and ordered his new Boxing South Africa (BSA) board to take office immediately.

A letter from the state attorney’s office on Monday stated that the board would not assume duties as scheduled on Tuesday.

But Kodwa hit back on Tuesday, rescinding the letter and calling the promoters’ allegations “objectionable”.

“The letter dated [December 11] incorrectly represents the minister,” department of sport, arts and culture [DSAC] acting director-general Cynthia Khumalo wrote in a letter to the state attorney’s office.

“The minister’s appointment of the new [BSA] board remains with effect from [December 12].”

New BSA chair Sifiso Shongwe confirmed that he had spoken to the minister on Tuesday.

“Everything is clear. I'm going to go there [BSA office] tomorrow to meet staff and dispel any misunderstandings. A few board members may accompany me, though some of them are out of town,” he said.

The board’s appointment is being challenged by the National Professional Boxing Promoters' Association (NPBPA), which claims it is unlawful.

The state attorney’s office had written to the NPBPA’s attorney on Monday, saying the new board would not assume duties on Tuesday pending the finalisation of the matter brought by the association.

The NPBPA, chaired by East London-based Ayanda Matiti, said in papers lodged at the Pretoria high court that the new board was unlawful because the association had not been consulted by the minister before announcing the new executive late last month.

The Boxing Act, which governs the running of professional boxing, states: “The minister must appoint the members of Boxing SA on a part-time basis after consultation with the associations or federation of associations.”

The legislation allows for the formation of associations for several categories of licensees, including promoters, boxers and trainers.

Matiti said Kodwa had written to him “asking for the association to nominate people to sit on the board. However, this does not amount to consultation as prescribed by the empowering legislation.”

TimesLIVE understands that Matiti responded with a list of submissions for board members, but none of them made it onto the executive.

“The department followed a due process of appointing a board, as outlined in the South African Boxing Act of 2001,” the sport ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday afternoon. “The allegations made by NPBPA against the department are objectionable.

“Our intention is to ensure Boxing South Africa is empowered and led by ethical leaders with strong governance, commercial and administrative expertise,” Kodwa said in the statement. “The incoming board is expected to lift boxing in South Africa and return it to its former glory.”

On Monday the attorney-general wrote to the NPBPA’s attorney saying the new board would not take office. “We are instructed by [the minister] that the new board ... would not assume duties tomorrow December 12 pending the finalisation of part A of your client [sic] application.”

But now DSAC is saying that letter incorrectly represents Kodwa’s stance. 

BSA played an instrumental role in forming the promoters’ association last year, telling parliament last month it had yet to form associations for the other categories of licensees. All recognised associations have to submit annual reports on their activities to BSA once a year.

Matiti said the association had more than 70 members, though that figure is presumably the total number of registered promoters.

The legislation does not mention whether licensees are obliged to join associations.