Sport minister considers appointing an administrator for struggling boxing

Sport minister Zizi Kodwa says he’s considering appointing an administrator to run rudderless Boxing South Africa (BSA). 

The regulator has been without a board since December following a court interdict obtained by a group of promoters who had alleged Kodwa had failed to consult with them before appointing the executive.

The minister was speaking amid growing uncertainty around the running of professional boxing.

Without a board there can be no subcommittees, especially the sanctioning and ratings committees, and without those fighters and tournaments cannot be approved. 

Boxing is basically at a standstill, though acting CEO Mandla Ntlanganiso is trying to push ahead and on Friday announced sparring dates for amateurs around the country wanting to turn professional. 

“Boxing had not been in good [health], both in terms of stability of leadership and good governance, and we’ve been trying to stabilise the two,” said Kodwa, who appointed a new board in December.

“And obviously the ... pushback ... we’re dealing with that issue.

“It takes a bit of time, but we’ve got to be careful, whatever we do.”

Kodwa said he was dealing with the upcoming court hearing where the merits of the claims made by the National Professional Boxing Promoters’ Association (NPBPA) last year will be examined, but he was also looking at a temporary solution. 

“In a matter of days I’m considering a number of options, including in the interim ... whether we shouldn’t consider appointing an administrator to do the same work that the board would have done.

“We’re considering that because we don’t want the licensees, the boxers, the sport of boxing, to suffer because of [the] lacuna that is there because of the board that was interdicted.

“We’re working on that.”

The interdict was granted after the minister’s legal team failed to properly oppose the case lodged by the NPBPA.