KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) is threatening to discipline and possibly oust respected ultra marathon athlete turned coach Norrie Williamson as a technical officer because of his recent Facebook posts in which he criticised it and the board of the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA).
The CMA and KZNA have recently been rocked by public allegations of mismanagement, and possibly corruption by some runners who claim there is an ongoing attempt to “capture” the CMA.
CMA was thrown into disarray on Wednesday when an urgent meeting was called to address resignations from chairperson Mqondi Ngcobo and his vice-chair Les Burnard.
Last week, some 70 paid-up members of the CMA secured an urgent court interdict overturning a ban on non-KZN members from attending a crucial special general meeting to address some of the concerns.
The ban was apparently imposed by KZNA, which claimed the CMA was a “running club” and, according to its domicile rule, members from outside the province had no right to participate in debates or vote at meetings. This move was largely seen to be political and an attempt by KZNA, and some CMA board members, to influence the proceedings.
Subsequently, it has been reported the CMA board chair and deputy chair have resigned, citing personal reasons.
On the same day as the court challenge, KZNA wrote to Williamson, complaining about his “unbecoming Facebook posts”.
It referred to the posts as saying: “Runners, supporters and sponsors are now seeing FIRST HAND how truly disgraceful the situation in CMA and KZNA are ... to the extent the people in control are either totally ignorant of the rules, basic law and national constitution or perhaps purposely trying to manipulate circumstances in an attempt to maintain their positions at CMA and KZNA.”
Reminding people in positions of authority they are subject to authority and oversight is in fact an ethical and upstanding comment similar to when someone reminds parliamentary ministers they answer to the people of South Africa
— Mark Leathers, attorney for Norrie Williamson
He said the executives of both were answerable to the membership, and claimed lawyers and judges were offering pro bono “to take on CMA/KZNA”.
KZNA general manager Jessica Khomo described the statements as being highly critical and “casting aspersions on board members” and did not demonstrate a spirit of sportsmanship, leadership or ethical conduct.
She put Williamson on terms to give reasons why he should not be disciplined and suspended as a technical official and as an athlete pending disciplinary proceedings — and why KZNA should not refer this matter to the Athletics South Africa.
In a response, Williamson’s attorney Mark Leathers said he had a constitutional right to freedom of expression and he was merely sharing a view which was in the public domain. Leathers said reminding people in positions of authority they were subject to authority and oversight “was in fact an ethical and upstanding comment similar to when someone reminds parliamentary ministers they answer to the people of South Africa”.
The statements were neither untrue or defamatory, said Leathers.
“It is trite that many have shared grave concerns about the purported resolution taken by KZNA as regards the CMA. Such concerns have been aired not only in the court application, but on social media profiles of hundreds of athletes and persons interested in the proper management and governance of athletics.”
Leathers told TimesLIVE Premium he had not received a substantive response to this letter, only an acknowledgement of receipt.
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