Boxing SA has plans for Lejaka replacement

Boxing SA chair Peter Ngatane says a succession plan is in place to appoint new CEO after Tsholofelo Lejaka’s resignation on Tuesday.

“I want to assure you all that we are working on a succession plan to make an appointment,” Ngatane said, allaying fears that the regulatory body was in limbo.

Ngatane revealed that director of operations Cidy Nkomo has in the meantime been appointed as an acting CEO.

Ngatane would not let the cat out of the bag when pressed to reveal a potential candidate, but pointers are that Nkomo — who has stood the Test of time since coming under enormous pressure from some quarters of the sector after her appointment as director of operations in 2017 — could occupy the hot seat permanently.

However this would be in 2021, when finance minister Tito Mboweni and his sport counterpart Nathi Mthethwa are expected to conduct interviews and make an appointment. The CEO of Boxing SA is appointed by the two ministers, whose offices pay the CEOs salary.

Nkomo has done wonders and even her detractors have eventually recognised her abilities. Most of her critics had flagged that Nkomo knew nothing about the tactical aspect of boxing — something Lejaka also had to deal with.

However, the criticism against Lejaka and Nkomo was ill-informed as their administration skills proved to be second to none. Should Nkomo get the post, she will become the second woman to act as BSA’s CEO. The first was Tumi Kekana, then financial manager, who was appointed in 2009. It would be interesting to see what will happen in 2021 when a permanent CEO is appointed, considering that former CEO Moffat Qithi won a case of unfair dismissal against BSA at the CCMA in 2019.

Boxing SA was ordered to pay him R4m, his monthly salary of R100,000, dating back three years.