Boxing SA board makes sweeping changes, boots controversial manager

Boxing South Africa’s (BSA) newly appointed board on Monday announced it had made some big moves, like booting out one controversial provincial manager and ordering promoters to start paying debts.

Five provincial managers were named for the nine provinces, with the big change being Siya Vabaza Booi coming in for Phakamile Jacobs in the Eastern Cape.

Jacobs had come under fire on several occasions over the years, but more recently he was the supervisor when the results of two fights were botched up.

In one case a scorecard was tallied incorrectly, twice resulting in boxers being declared winners when the fight was drawn.

The other provincial managers are Lehlohonolo Ramagole (Gauteng, Free State and Limpopo), Mike Dube (KwaZulu-Natal), Mzoli Tempi (Western Cape and Northern Cape) and Oupa Lubisi (Mpumalanga and Limpopo).

Another thorny issue facing BSA had been a debt, reported at R6.28m and with much of it believed to be sanctioning fees owed by promoters.

BSA said in a statement the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) required appropriate steps to be taken to collect all money owed to the regulator.

“It is against this background that the board resolved to enforce payment of sanctioning fees owed to [BSA] and promoters owing are expected to pay 30% of their debt upfront and further make necessary arrangements to pay off the remaining debt,” BSA said.

“Subsequently, the PFMA ... further states the accounting authority must comply with any tax, levy, duty, pension and audit required hence all promoters must be tax compliant with Sars and their companies active with CIPRO.”

It has been claimed that some promotional outfits are not registered as business units.

BSA said it would also test new applicants for licences, saying induction programmes were scheduled for Monday and assessments on Saturday.