By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Minister of sports, arts and culture Zizi Kodwa has appointed a new seven-member Boxing South Africa (BSA) board, which will be in office for three years.
Former promoter Sifiso Shongwe will chair the board that begins its three-year term on December 12.
Sakhiwe Sodo is the only remaining member from the old board.
The other new board members are Princess Mangoma, Nande Mheshe, Luxolo September, Romy Titus and Dr Mary-Gene Manthata-Setati.
The board replaces that of chairman Luthando Jack, Gilberto Martins, Khulile Radu (who was brought in after Zandile Kabini resigned in August last year), Surej Maharaj, Azwitamisi Nthangeni, Sakhiwo Sodo and Eric Sithole.
Kodwa said the new board’s first task will be to appoint a full-time CEO. He said he has already discussed this with Shongwe.
“I raised the matter, we need to do everything we can to bring this sport back to its glory days,” Kodwa said, referring to the era when local fans woke up at 3am to watch SA stars fighting abroad.
The CEO issue has dogged the regulator for a decade, since CEO Moffat Qithi was suspended in 2013 after it emerged he had a criminal record, which the Boxing Act prohibits. He was fired in 2015, but subsequently won his case at the CCMA, which BSA has fought and lost legally since then, throwing in the towel after failing at the Constitutional Court recently.
“Obviously we need some new thinking there, there’s no doubt about it. You need some innovation. You need people who can understand this issue of financially reviewing your model – it can’t depend on the state and government forever.
“So, we need people to say, to promote this important sport, what else do we need to do? Obviously, with the support of government. So that is what we looked at.
“And then we looked at, within the number of applicants – there were many, I must say – competent men and women, that’s why we’ve got four women in the board.
“If you look at their background and the kind of calibre they bring, it is what you need in BSA at the moment.”
Kodwa has also announced that government will be hosting an all-encompassing awards ceremony to recognise those who exhibit outstanding artistic and technical achievement in the arts and culture sector.
The creativity and imagination of the South African designers, artists, producers, writers, and performers are continuing to shine the light on the global stage and driving the growth of our creative economy,” Kodwa said on Tuesday.
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture intends to confer South African Creative Arts Awards (SACA) annually in appreciation of the outstanding contributions to the creative sector.
“This is another way in which government is developing a participatory cultural platform by supporting artists and arts and culture initiatives, as essential elements to stimulate the growth of the country’s creative economy.
“These are creatives from across cultural domains that push the boundaries of their creative ability and show devotion to excellence with uncompromising quality, ground-breaking creativity and relentless innovation that defines those that are outstanding from the best.”
“The South African Creative Arts Awards are for creatives from across cultural domains who push boundaries of their creative ability and show devotion to excellence,” the Minister said.