Matiti interdict hopes dashed

BOXING promoter Ayanda Matiti’s bid in the East London High Court to stop Buffalo City Metro from sponsoring other boxing tournaments has failed.

He was ordered to withdraw his application with costs on Monday by Judge Selby Mbenenge.

The judge said that after listening to legal representatives of both Matiti and BCM, and having read the documents filed, he ordered that Matiti withdraw the interdict application against the metro.

Mbenenge also ordered Matiti to pay the costs of the application.

Matiti, head of Xaba Promotions and Events (XPE), went to court to seek an interdict against the distribution of funds for boxing tournaments after it emerged he was not allocated any funding by BCM.

He wanted the court to interdict and prevent BCM from “implementing the decision to fund certain boxing events where no prescribed procurement processes were followed”.

This was pending the finalisation of part two of the application, which wanted the court to declare BCM’s conduct of being selective in inviting proposals from boxing promoters as “unlawful and unconstitutional”.

While Matiti’s interdict plea has been met with the blow, his attorney Asanda Pakade said the fight was not over yet and there were two parts to the case.

“We did withdraw part A of the application and we will pay the costs for November 30 and December 12,” Pakade said. He said the matter was due to be back in court in January.

“They only responded to part A of the application so they will still need to respond to part B which talks about the review of the sponsorship process,” he said.

BCM mayor Xola Pakati said the metro had been vindicated by the court order.

“We have faith in the justice system. We knew all along that everything we did was above board. The court ruled in our favour,” Pakati said.

While Matiti did not receive funding, his boxing counterparts Thando Zonke of TZ promotions, Andile Sidinile of Sijuta Promotions, Koko Godlo of Imvusa Trading and Teris Ntutu each received R800 000 to host boxing tournaments in the current financial year. —