Boxing boss confirms resignation

SUSPENDED Boxing SA CE Loyiso Mtya has finally quit. The 62-year-old former director of operations confirmed yesterday he had resigned on Monday.

SUSPENDED Boxing SA CE Loyiso Mtya has finally resigned, the 62-year-old former director of operations confirmed yesterday.

Mtya said he had tendered his resignation on Monday.

“Yes, I have resigned. For now that is all I can confirm with you. I will issue a statement at a later stage.”

The former South African junior middleweight boxing champion from Mount Coke in East London was suspended indefinitely by the board of Boxing SA in July.

This after preliminary investigations that linked him to corruption, maladministration and taking kickbacks.

But the main charges were of allowing tournaments to go ahead without boxers’ purse monies being deposited within the specified period of either 30 or 14 days, as well as allegations of taking bribes from promoters.

Attempts to reach Boxing SA chairwoman Muditambi Ravele for comment were unsuccessful.

Mtya had been acting in the role following the suspension of Moffat Qithi after revelations that he had lied about his criminal record during the recently concluded defamation case by promoter Branco Milenkovic against Qithi and Boxing SA.

Milenkovic was awarded record damages by Southern Gauteng High Court Judge Margaret Victory, who ordered Boxing SA and Qithi to pay Milenkovic R250,000 a piece for comments made by Qithi that the judge found to be defamatory and “inspired by malice”.

No indication has yet been given as to when the issue surrounding Qithi’s suspension will be resolved.

Other chief operations officers since 2002 were Mava Malla, Dumile Mateza, Bongani Khumalo and Qithi.

Mtya takes the number of CEOs who have not seen out their contracts to nine by having had three stints in the job.

Mtya has trained many top fighters, including former SA minimum and bantamweight champion Khulile Makeba.