BSA needs a woman’s touch
Calls for fistic sport to reform
Patriarchy must be fought against in every sphere of life, and boxing is one of the many institutions that must reform.
The administration of this fistic sport has been like a boys’ choir until the SA National Boxing Control Commission of 1954 became obsolete and the new SA Boxing Act 11 of 2001 came into being.
When sports minister Ngconde Balfour appointed the first board of Boxing SA he included Violet Magwaca a former boxing referee and judge from Cape Town to be part of the team that was led by Mthobi Tyamzashe.
But real change came in 2014 when minister Fikile Mbalula appointed vastly experienced sport administrator Muditambi Ravele as chairperson of the board of BSA. The outgoing board, chaired by Peter Ngatane, has two women as members of the board to be replaced with a new team by sports minister Nathi Mthethwa in December.
In the meantime, Cindy Nomo is the acting CEO until May next year.
BSA’s provincial managers are Gauteng (Lehlohonolo Ramagole), East London (Phakamile Jacobs); Port Elizabeth (Nceba Dladla); Free State (Mzolisa Mabuya); Mpumalanga (Oupa Lubisi); and Limpopo (Tinyiko Nkatingi).
KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and the North West are without representatives. Francis Manning was in charge in KwaZulu-Natal until he died in April.
Interviews for his replacement have already been conducted and veteran referee and judge Erik Khoza is the hot favourite. But there is a growing call for BSA to appoint Zandile Malinga. The 46-year-old promoter under Starline Promotions is one of the people interviewed.
Her father-in-law is Maxwell “Shaluza Max” Malinga a former two weight SA champion who later honed the skills of fighters including his nephew Thulani “Sugar Boy” Malinga.
Thulani later became the first local boxer in history to win a WBC title after dethroning Englishman Nigel Benn as the super middleweight champion at Telewest Arena, Newcastle in the UK, on March 3 1996.
Veteran boxing promoter Thulani “Nkunzi” Magudulela of Ludonga Boxing Promotions said Malinga will have to relinquish her position as a promoter to stand a good chance of being appointed by BSA.
“It is really up to her,” he said. “It will be history in our province for a Zulu-speaking person to occupy that position. “We need a person who can read, understand and interpret rules and regulations to licensees. With all our support in the province she will do very well as a provincial manager.”
Multiple award-winning woman promoter Mbali “Don Queen” Zantsi of Showtime Promotions that staged the first-ever female boxing tournament in Durban in 2007 said: “I would not support her in what she aspires to do but what I would not like is her appointment benefiting the family which has the promotion because that will be in contrast to the regulations.
“If she has to wear both hats then it becomes a problem; it is bound to bring problems in the province. “Either she represents BSA or she continues with her promotion. Otherwise I fully support her taking over that office.”