What will it take for NPBPA and Minister Zizi Kodwa's amicable solution?

By Velile Mnyandu
5th April 2024

Chairman of the National Professional Boxing Promoters Association (NPBPA) Ayanda Matiti says they have no problem with the appointment of a new Boxing South Africa (BSA) Board, as long as it’s done according to the Boxing Act.

Matiti was responding to the new process restarted by Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa and the road map, which has been set at seven weeks to achieve this.

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Kodwa appointed a new BSA board in November last year, but it was interdicted by the NPBPA in December, with Matiti clear on their expectations.

''That process must be started in line with the act. We said to South Africans and the boxing that loving people we wanted a situation where there will be clarity in terms of the law, what does the law mean?

“So that for as long as boxing is governed through an act of parliament, we do not have a minister coming in to do his own thing and a different one also coming in to do his own thing,'' said Matiti.

Earlier this week, the NPBPA and Kodwa called off their case at the North Gauteng High Court in favour of commencing talks to amicably resolve their dispute.

Matiti shares their expectation from the new process of appointing a new board.

''There must be clarity if as players in the sector have differences about a particular section and its meaning, the court must clarify that,'' added Matiti.

One of the biggest concerns from the NPBPA when they started litigating the appointment of the new BSA board was the allegation that chairperson Sifiso Shongwe had not resigned as a boxing promoter or licensee as per the Boxing Act.

However, Shongwe went on to deny this, while it’s yet unclear whether the NPBPA would still challenge that in Part B of the court case.

Matiti also says the new process would still have been affected by this court case.

''The restarting of the process, remember Part B is enrolled in court for August, it is still a matter that is in court,'' he concluded.

Kodwa and the NPBPA were set to start out-of-court deliberations on Wednesday, with the aim of wrapping up in two weeks, but Matiti says the process of appointing the new BSA Board is going to feature prominently in the discussions.