By Monwabisi Jimlongo
Cracks have begun to show in Eastern Cape boxing promoters’ circles just less than three days after the election of a provincial executive committee.
Mbali Zantsi of Zantsi’s Showtime Productions has voiced her displeasure over the composition of the Eastern Cape Boxing Promoters Association (ECBPA) executive committee, which is made up of only Buffalo City-based promoters.
Koko Godlo from KK Productions was elected chairperson to succeed the late Tando Zonke, who passed away last month. Monica Goci is Godlo’s deputy and Sibongile Matiti is the secretary. Visa Monakali is the deputy secretary with Happy Tewo being treasurer while Ntsikelelo Manyisane and Bongani Zulu are additional members.
“It’s not reflective of the province. This is a Buffalo City executive. It’s unfair for the Nelson Mandela Bay not to have a seat in the executive. Things wouldn’t have been like this if Tando was still alive. Tando was transparent and had no hidden agenda. He used to make sure that there was fairness, not what we have at the moment,” Zantsi said.
“It was clear that there was a plan to deny the Nelson Mandela Bay a seat or seats in the executive. According to the national structure, three promoters entitle a region to one seat. We have six promoters from the Nelson Mandela Bay and deserve two seats. There were plans to sideline the Nelson Mandela Bay even in the allocation of the grant from DSRAC. Only Sibongile Kebe got the grant.”
The outspoken Zantsi added that the consolidation of power is what they fought against during the times of the late Mzimasi Mnguni and Branco Milenkovic.
“One can see that these positions are strategic. The secretary and the chairperson go to the NEC. It’s a family thing. The national office bearers Ayanda Matiti and Kaya Majeke that came to assist the province still got to vote. They also appointed the IEC. There are so many things that were flawed. You could see that all those people were told to toe the line. This is the same power we fought against during the time of Bro Mzi and Branco that we didn’t want absolute power in the hands of one person,” Zantsi said.
“People clapped hands for something which is not right. There will never be fairness as long as things like these continue to happen. Absolute power is dangerous and it corrupts an individual. We are in big trouble. It’s more like we are in someone’s farm now.”
