Kaya Majeke, who is the treasurer of the National Professional Boxing Promoters Association (NPBPA), revealed during an interview on Umhlobo Wenenefm on Tuesday evening that they wanted Sakhiwe Sodo to become the chairperson of the new board of Boxing South Africa (BSA).
What Majeke said on Umhlobo Wenenefm confirmed the story Ink Sport published on Saturday, 2 December 2023, which said that the NPBPA had resolved in a virtual meeting that Sodo was the perfect candidate to chair the BSA board.
Minister of Sport Zizi Kodwa had already appointed Sifiso Shongwe to chair the new BSA board and serve together with Luxolo September, Sodo, Romy Titus, Princess Mangoma, Nande Mheshe and Dr Mary-Gene Manthata-Setati.
“In that board, which was appointed by the Minister, there are people that we nominated. Three people, the lady (Mheshe), Lux and Sodo,” Majeke, who trades under the banner of KM Sports Promotions and Events, said on Umhlobo Wenenefm.
“People must not take it as if there’s a personal agenda here. The issue here is that the Minister having consulted with us, we could have said to him take Mr Sodo because Mr Sodo it’s the third term serving in the board. Therefore, his experience would have guided us well in changing and making sure that boxing is progressive in this country.”
The virtual meeting where a decision to push for Sodo to become chairperson was held two days after Kodwa had already announced the new BSA board.
Meanwhile, after hearing that the NPBPA wanted him to become the chairperson of the new board, Sodo, a former BSA licensee, sort of distanced himself from the group.
“Every reasonable-minded person will always appreciate to receive support, particularly from his home province. In line with this spirit, I appreciate the support of the promoters of the Eastern Cape. Continuous squabbles in boxing are responsible for driving corporate sponsorships away. Corporate sponsorships wish to associate themselves with excellence rather than mediocrity or chaotic environments,” Sodo said last month.
Sodo added at the time: “As a person, I have no ambition to be anything other than serving the board as a member. Challenging a Minister’s decision is unparalleled and can have unintended consequences for the sport. This may strain relations between myself and the chair as well as other board members as they may think I am behind the move to unseat the incoming chair. This may create unnecessary divisions in the incoming board.
“Naturally, the Honourable Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Zizi Kodwa, wanted to ensure continuity from outgoing to the incoming board. He must have been guided by a number of factors to choose me. I have spent my entire life in the administration of boxing. I am an independent person and the South African Boxing Act, Act Number 11 of 2001 is instructional on this aspect. I am an experienced administrator having retired in the civil service at the level of chief director.”
