Boxing can continue, says sport minister after making appointment

Sport minister Zizi Kodwa on Friday announced he had appointed acting CEO Mandla Ntlanganiso as the accounting authority for Boxing South Africa (BSA), a temporary fix he said would allow the sport to continue normally for now.

The board appointed by Kodwa in December had been interdicted by a group of promoters, leaving the regulator without the authority to appoint a sanctioning committee to approve fights and tournaments and the sport in limbo.

“The appointment of ... Ntlanganiso as Boxing South Africa’s accounting authority provides clarity to all stakeholders and assurance to all promoters and boxers that all sanctioned boxing fights will go ahead as planned,” Kodwa said in a statement.

He explained that the appointment was made in conjunction with National Treasury in terms of section 49 (2) of the Public Finance Management Act.

The act requires that every public entity must have an authority which must be accountable.

The section states: “If the public entity (a) has a board or other controlling body, that board or controlling body is the accounting authority for that entity; or (b) does not have a controlling body, the CEO or the other person in charge of the public entity is the accounting authority for that public entity unless specific legislation applicable to that public entity designates another person as the accounting authority.”

The interdict against Kodwa’s must still be argued in full in court.

“I endeavour unremittingly to ensure that all legal matters before the ministry and [BSA] are resolved as a matter of urgency,” said Kodwa.

“The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is working around the clock to restore good corporate governance at [BSA].”