Acting Boxing South Africa (BSA) Erick Nsikayezwe Sithole has given Brian Wysoke, a fight fan and photographer, a notice to cease and desist from criticising BSA and its management on social media.
The outspoken Wysoke has consistently criticised BSA’s wrong decisions, especially in the aftermath of the controversial South African Boxing Awards held in Durban last month.
In a letter Sithole wrote to Wysoke, the BSA boss said: “BSA regards your conduct as defamatory and unacceptable and you are hereby requested to henceforth and with immediate effect stop making false, malicious and unfounded allegations against BSA and its management and/or the board.
“In view of this, you are hereby requested to retract all the defamatory and false allegations against BSA on all social media platforms in which the allegations have been posted and to issue a public apology on or before Monday the 31st of July 2023. Kindly be advised that if you do not comply with this request, BSA will pursue all available legal remedies including, but not limited, to institution of a civil case for damages for defamation of character and harassment and/or to approach the court for an interdict.”
Contacted for comment, Wysoke said: “I have not responded to his letter because I’ve got issues where I laid complaints to Boxing South Africa in which he was copied in. He failed to respond. There are numerous complaints. The one in October is the one on Sipho Mashego who made racist comments about Nick Lourens. Mr Sithole never responded to that mail neither has the board responded. I will only respond at a right platform.”
Getting BSA to court with someone like Brian Wysoke is possibly the best thing that could happen for boxing in SA…Why is BSA only challenging Brian Wysoke and not hundreds of us who all passed comments about the ridiculous awards evening…maybe the licensees that posed question to the BSA will be called as witnesses and ask BSA for answers…as far as the rigged awards evening is concerned I share the exact views of Brian Wysoke and have also made comments why are you not threatening me??