Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie expects the members of the board of Boxing South Africa (BSA) to work hard in an effort to clean up and take the sport forward.
McKenzie said this after he together with his deputy Peace Mabe met the seven-member BSA board in Pretoria on Monday evening. This was the first meeting between the BSA board, McKenzie and Mabe, who were appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa more than a week ago.
“Boxing is one of the sport I love and I want to see boxing being one of the top sports in South Africa. There must be boxing activity and development throughout the country and boxing must be used as a tool to take the youth out of poverty and other social ills,” McKenzie said.
“There is definitely a lot of opportunity for change, the new board is promising and has right people at the helm. I do not want the previous board’s posture of promising to fix boxing, but do the opposite. I am well aware of what was happening in the past.
“I want to give the current board a chance to prove themselves. I want the board to show what they are made of. I want this board to do a quick synopsis and provide me with immediate plans and clearly identify areas of support. At the end of my term, I want to brag about boxing.”
BSA board chairperson Sifiso Shongwe said: “The meeting was very focused. Minister McKenzie was very clear, he has a fair understanding of where we have been as Boxing South Africa. The meeting was solution focused and this is what not only brought hope, but a deep sense of appreciation from the board. We have a Minister who is energetic and pragmatic.”
The BSA board, which is made up of Shongwe, Dr Luvuyo Bayeni, Luxolo September, Sakhiwe Sodo, Romy Titus, Dr Koketjo Tsebe and Nande Mheshe was appointed in May by former Minister of Sport Zizi Kodwa.
