Boxing row erupts over unpaid purse

● The Eastern Cape Promoters Association is up in arms over the sanctioning of a boxing tournament without the purse monies being paid before the weigh-in.

The event in question was Friday’s “Fifth Annual Celebrations of Madiba as a boxer” at East London’s International Convention Centre where Thursday’s weigh-in took place without the fighters being paid.

This is in contravention of Boxing South Africa’s (BSA) regulations that state purse monies have to be paid 14 days before the weigh-in. The tournament was staged by Ayanda Matiti’s Xaba Promotions.

Serious rule contravention

Matiti is also a former African National Congress provincial chairman in the Eastern Cape. The Eastern Cape Promoters Association chairman, Thando Zonke, said they were flabbergasted that the tournament was allowed to continue despite the flagrant breaking of the rule.

Zonke said Boxing South Africa chairman Peter Ngatane and board member Khulile Radu were also in attendance and allowed the tournament to continue.

“The BSA rules clearly stipulate that purse monies have to be paid 14 days before the weigh-in so that the weigh-in can take place.

“This time, the purse monies weren’t paid and the reason for that is something that I don’t quite know,” Zonke said.

“The worst part of it is that there were two board members who allowed this to take place. This means they allowed this to take place because the tournament should have been cancelled. The seriousness now lies in the fact that the act was contravened in the presence of board members.

“This also happened when Fikile Mbalula was still sports minister and he had to intervene to ensure the boxers were paid.”

Board members watched on

Zonke said the actions of the board members has put promoters in a difficult position.

“Dr Ngatane and Mr Radu were there when the tournament took place and they allowed this to happen. There was a resolution that was taken after Mr Mbalula intervened that this should never happen again.

“We don’t know why the board members allowed the tournament to take place.”

Ngatane said he could not comment on the matter. “I would not be in a position to discuss this matter now and I can’t discuss this matter because of what someone says,” Ngatane said.

BSA chief executive officer Tsholo Lejaka also said he could not comment on the matter.

“I have got no comment on this matter and you can speak to the board chairman in regards with this matter,” Lejaka said.

According to our sister publication, the Daily Dispatch, the tournament was at the centre of a Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality council row where Matiti had requested R10-million for the event, of which he was granted R3.4-million.

Matiti’s cellphone was switched off when contacted for comment, while his sister Sibongile, who works with him, was also unreachable.