Boxing fans get television coverage pledge

EASTERN Cape Sports Recreation, Arts and Culture MEC Pemmy Majodina has vowed to bring televised boxing back to the province.

Majodina made the announcement during a ceremony held at NU 12 Mdantsane to donate R110 000 to buy a prosthetic leg for the mother of the famous Tete boxing brothers, Makazole and Zolani, this week.

Nomonde Tete was given the money by the Motsepe Foundation after losing her natural leg to diabetes.

The event turned into a major ceremony thanks to Umhlobo Wenene presenter Putco Mafani, who introduced at least nine champions and former champions on to the podium, leaving Mamelodi Sundowns’ owner Patrice Motsepe stunned.

This prompted the mining magnate to donate R1-million towards the welfare of the former champions.

Majodina who had earlier pleaded with Motsepe to help fund the construction of a sports arena in the region, said she would attend tomorrow’s tournament in Birchwood, Gauteng, where boxing will formally return to the SABC screens.

The tournament, presented by BRD Promotions, is being funded by the Gauteng government which ensured that the launch took place in its province.

This came after the Eastern Cape was also in the running for the launch only for SABC to settle for Birchwood.

Boxing SA head Ntambi Ravele had said that BRD Promotions was chosen after their application to Gauteng was successful.

Ravele also revealed that SABC would televise each tournament every month rotating in all nine provinces.

The next province to host a televised show is yet to be identified and Majodina wants the Eastern Cape to be second in line.

“As the boxing Mecca of the land, the launch should have happened here,” Majodina said.

“But we will go to Birchwood and convince the authorities that the next port of call should be the Eastern Cape,” she said. Three tournaments are scheduled in East London for July, with the first being presented by Sijuta Promotions on July 5.

Then it will be the Xaba Promotions extravaganza celebrating the birthday of Nelson Mandela on July 24.

Sijuta Promotions will be back on July 31 with an international blockbuster show.

Andile Sidinile, who trades under the Sijuta banner, confirmed that he had already submitted his application to SABC for the July show.

But Ayanda Matiti could not say if he had applied to SABC for his July 24 event. The procedure on how to get SABC TV to televise a tournament is not yet clear with some promoters not even sure if the applications should be sent via BSA or straight to SABC.

This is because of a long war between promoters and the regulatory body over the ownership of TV rights.

This is still the subject of a court case by Gauteng promoter Branco Milenkovic.

Ravele has stated that for now promoters will need to directly apply to SABC before the procedure is revisited in the year ahead.