The new Boxing SA Board to be announced on Friday

McKenzie revealed this to the media on the sidelines of an announcement of the Formula One bid steering committee members in Kyalami yesterday.

BSA has been without a board since September, when McKenzie dissolved a board led by former boxing promoter Sifiso Shongwe, which had only been in office for three months. He cited escalating legal costs in a court case against the National Professional Boxing Promoters Association (NPBPA) as one of the reasons at the time.

The process of appointing the new board started in October and in the last few weeks, the Ministry of Sports has been interviewing prospective candidates, and the new board will be announced on Friday at 10am.

Veteran sports journalist and former Bafana Bafana media officer Romy Titus and Dr Luvuyo Bayeni, are the only members from the old board on the current shortlist.

SABC Sport has learnt that other members of the old board, like Shongwe and Confederation of African Football (CAF) Head of TV Luxolo September, were approached to avail themselves for nomination to the new board, but they declined.

It was for the second time that the BSA board was dissolved this year, after McKenzie’s predecessor Zizi Kodwa, was forced to restart the process as he looked to comply with the court victory and the outcry from the NPBPA, that proper processes in terms of consultation were not followed before the board was appointed.

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The rest of the list of shortlisted candidates for the new board includes Hlulukwewnza Dladla, Rina Subotzky Jude, Mthokozisi Radebe, Vince Blennies, Sydney James, Saudah Chetty, Tony Ferreira, Simon Clarke, Ayanda Khumalo, John Mtsweni, Andre Smith (Andries Jacobus), Zakaria Gordon, Dr Viwe Nogaga and Siyakha Simelane. 

McKenzie who has previously said that people who are alleged to have embezzled BSA funds, especially from the board whose term finished in December 2023, will face the full might of the law and be sent to jail if found guilty.

“On Friday morning, we will be announcing the new Boxing SA board that will take boxing out of the ICU into the new era, where boxers and referees will be paid adequately. 

“Where there will be more safety for boxers, where promoters will be looked, and boxing will take its rightful place on screen. Boxing needs to come back on screen.

“People tend to forget that boxing kept us entertained during apartheid, boxing is the sport of the people; we will make sure that this sport takes its rightful place again, and Friday at 10am is the start,” McKenzie confirmed the imminent announcement of the new board.

Acting CEO Tsholo Lejaka has held the fort at BSA since he was seconded from the Ministry, where he is the Chief Director of Arts and Culture. One of the immediate tasks of the new BSA board will be to appoint a permanent CEO and Chief Financial Officer (CFO).