Statement by the Minister of Sport and Recreation South Africa, Hon. F. A. Mbalula, MP, on the sport of boxing in South Africa at GCIS in Tshwane
The Chair of the Press Conference, the Director General of the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa, Mr. Alec Moemi
The Chairperson of Boxing South Africa, Ms. Ntambi Ravele and other Board members in attendance;
The President of the South African National Amateur Boxing Organisation (SANABO), Mr. Andile Mofu and the Board members present;
Boxers, promoters; and
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media
In 2013, we convened the National Boxing Indaba to review the status of Boxing as a sport in the Republic. This was an important milestone that rejuvenated the sport of Boxing in all its facets. Key amongst the resolution of this ground breaking indaba was the resolutions relating to the Boxing Broadcasting Rights. The Indaba directed that we speedily resolve this issue and ensure the return of Boxing to TV whilst ensuring that the revenue due to Boxing South Africa is duly collected and paid. The Indaba also stressed on the importance of realising new revenue streams around sponsorships and funding for the sport. Broadcast revenue was also identified as key to the growth and development of the sport. Based on these and other resolutions from the National Boxing Indaba, a Boxing Turnaround and Sustainability Strategy was developed.
We commenced in earnest to develop this strategy. In furthering the objectives and the clarion call made at the Indaba to strengthen Boxing South Africa, I convened a gathering of this nature on the 19th of May 2014. On that occasion, I announced to the public the newly appointed Board of Boxing South Africa, a public entity of the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa and an important integral part of this work as well as a regulatory body of this sport the public of our country hold dear.
Since that announcement, we have been hard at work to revive and turn the fortunes of the sport of boxing in our country and to put it on a growth and sustainable path. That announcement brought into play, committed individuals who lent us their skills to move the sport of boxing forward. It was an important milestone that rejuvenated the sport of boxing in our country. We further capped the commencement of this journey with an inspirational visit of Mr. Floyd Mayweather Jr. to our shores in a Tour aptly named “Re-awakening the Giant” to inspire the long path and journey we were undertaking towards revival of the sport of Boxing in our country.
On # Boxing is Back
On the occasion of my 2015/16 Budget Vote, announced that Boxing will be back on TV. The initiative was intended to address the challenge o a sport that experienced a huge blackout and was held at ransom by a few individuals who sought to only enrich themselves at the expense of the sport as a whole. We sought to bring back Boxing from the doldrums of this blackout and seek to return it to its glory. In a practical way, we had to pick up the pieces and developed a turn around strategy that we publicly punted and canvassed. With a great sense of urgency we were determined to bring Boxing back to the small screen.
We can today proudly announce that, indeed, Boxing has returned back to TV. Live Boxing matches across the provinces of our country have been featured on SABC as our media partner in promoting the sport of boxing. We are even more proud that over 7 of our 9 provinces have been reached. The Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa has invested approximately R11 Million in the roll out of the Boxing is Back by following an open Tender System to solicit services of credible and capable Boxing Promoters registered and licensed by Boxing South Africa to deliver on bankable and television ready and complaint tournaments. To-date, #Boxing is Back broadcasts and the programme TKO on SABC have reached over 1.3 million households - giving access to our people to watch their sport. This has presented opportunities of revenue generation for Boxing South Africa. The Public Broadcaster, the SABC has invested additional resources in the purchase of broadcast rights in this regard.
In furtherance of this noble objective of bringing the sport loved by millions of our people to the screens at home, we will continue with a roll-out of this programme in 2016/17 financial year starting with the North West edition on the 27th of May 2016 at the James Motlatsi stadium in the small mining town of Orkney. Working jointly with our provincial counterparts in the Department of Education and Sports Development we are affording the people of the province an opportunity to satiate their hunger for this sport. Spectators from the breath of the province of the North West will be there to witness a bill that includes three professional boxers from the home province.
The Main bout will see Koos Sibiya our compatriot battling it out with Samuel Kapapu from Namibia in a 12 rounds for the African Boxing Union’s All African Junior Weight Title. This continental title bout promises everything fun and exciting, a match of this stature should be. The Supporting Bout will see another compatriot, France Ramabulo against Chris Mugisho from the Democratic Republic of Congo in a 12 rounds World Boxing Federation (WBF) International Junior Middleweight Title.
The other bouts include the Middle weight 8 Rounds contention between Walter Dlamini (GP) vs Xolani Mvubu (KZN); a Junior Bantam weight 10 Rounder of Doctor Ntsele (FS) vs Khayalethu Mbedje (EC); a Bantam weight 6 Rounder between Ronald Malindi (GP) vs Cletus Mbhele (GP); a Junior Fly weight 4 Rounder between Percy Mkhize (GP) vs Sihle Jelwana (FS); a Middle weight 8 Rounder contention of Stanis Apanu of Ghana vs Siyamcela Mtwana of North West here in South Africa; and finally an all North West 4 Rounder Fly weight bout between Mogale Molefe of Rustenburg vs Tumisang Moshodi of Matlosana.
As it is evident from the bill, Boxing is indeed back. We are committed, willing and ready to take professional boxing one notch higher and to further mobilise sponsors to support this sport to grow it along the international trends in both purse monies and also in stature of the code. We are in negotiations with a potential sponsor for the Belts. Our Broadcast Strategy has been harmonised with that of the two leading broadcasters in our country. We have further finalised our outlook for the title and key tournament sponsorship packages. Our intent remains to place the Boxer at the heart of it all. This programme will be rolled out on a continuous basis and on a rotational basis to all the nine provinces of our country based on the government’s procurement framework. Through this programme we have over the last year alone managed to achieve in excess of five international titles, both continental and global. The work of producing Champions of the world from our country will continue in this regard with identified professional talent being supported and incubated at our National Training Centre based in Bloemfontein.
On SANABO as Federation of the Year
I again on the occasion of my 2015/16 Budget Vote, also announced a deliberate undertaking of enhancing and strengthening the National Federation, the South African National Amateur Boxing Organisation (SABABO). In this regard we committed ourselves to supporting SANABO both financially and administratively. I made a special declaration of SANABO and declared it as the Federation of the year. Accordingly, an additional R10 Million was set aside to support the development of open and junior boxing. Our quest was the development of pipeline talent for Olympics and future world champions.
We have now finalised the necessary plans with SANABO and have agreed on supporting the establishment of new clubs across all the 9 provinces of our country with central support hubs that will incubate talent. This will be rolled out in the current financial year 2016/17. It is envisaged that the first 90 clubs would have been established by December 2016. This programme will be rolled out at a cost of R4.5 Million.
On SANABO’s New Open Boxing League
As part of this work, I am also ecstatic and resoundingly proud to announce a new Open Boxing League to be run by SANABO. This new league will take a format of an Inter Provincial Series that will be staged in two venues being the Eastern Cape and Gauteng provinces as a start. The tournament will be played on a fort-nightly basis. Each venue will host 18 tournaments culminating to the finals, which will be staged in one venue. Each Province will be required to enter a minimum of 10 male and 5 female boxers for the Inter Provincial Series. This feature is an important and significant shot in the arm of women’s boxing at a junior level.
We believed and are confident that this league will go a long way in developing and unearthing latent talent. The Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa remains the main funder and sponsor of the SANABO Open Boxing League. In preparing ourselves for this league, we have thus far trained and qualified 16 one Star AIBA certified officials including referees, judges and ringside officials. It is heartening to note that all provinces have already established their provincial teams and registered the players. In this regard, a sum amount of R7 Million from the allocated funds to SANABO will go towards funding the Open Boxing League, with the Department providing additional support and collateral funding over an above the core funding. The league will start mid-August 2016. A Pre-League Launch event will be held in August to announce the provincial teams, logos, team names, conduct a draw for fixtures and other related matters to the operation of the league.
On Operation Victory Lap
In our quest to develop and nurture talent that the Open Boxing League will unearth, I’m engaging with the Department of Defence to further develop an initiative we had agreed about. In this regard, Operation Victory Lap will gain new grounds when an agreement is signed with the Department of Defence during the course of this Financial Year. Operation Victory Lap is a joint coordinated programme by the Department of Sport and Recreation SA, the Defense Force, SASCOC and SANABO. Young boxers between the ages of 18 to 21 are selected and placed in the various military bases. More details on this programme will be made available at the signing ceremony in due course.
On support for Women’s Boxing
We had as part of the turnaround strategy for Boxing, pronounced that we will develop, invest and promote the women’s Boxing. Again in this area, we have made strides. Boxing South Africa has begun to invest significantly in women’s Boxing. The Department has also invested in female boxers and bouts. A special consultative gathering for women in boxing was convened to address the key specific areas that affected the growth of women’s Boxing. A all women bout was convened in Kwa Zulu Natal recently to mark the important milestone in promoting women in boxing.
On increased Support to Boxing South Africa
This 2016/17 Financial year Boxing South Africa will get R11 Million to maintain the momentum and build on the gains made since the previous financial year. We also had to clean the higher echelons of the entity management structures and went through the due processes outlined in the relevant laws, regulations and policies.
We have further to this supported Boxing South Africa administratively and with its legal challenges. We have also provided capacity and also seconded staff to the entity to assist it with its administration and the implementation of the turnaround and sustainability strategy. We further extended our internal audit services to the entity and in this regard we have seen that the audit outcomes of Boxing South Africa have stabilised and are on an upward trajectory. This investment is beginning to pay off as we now a solid administrative foundation for the entity to grow, attain its objectives and good audit outcomes.
To maintain the momentum of this good work, I wish to announce that after consultation with my counterpart, the Hon. Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, I have concurred with the appointment by the Board of Boxing South Africa of the new Chief Executive Officer in line with the provisions of Sec. 12(1) of the Boxing South Africa Act (Act No. 11 of 2001), read with the published and Gazetted Regulations issued in terms of this Act.
Accordingly, I wish to announce the appointment of Mr. Tsholofelo Lejaka as the new Chief Executive Officer of Boxing South Africa. The Board of Boxing South Africa has also appointed Mr. Thabang Moses as the Chief Financial Officer and Mr. Sabelo Silinga as the Director: Operations. All major vacancies within the entity have been filled. This will give the entity a strong foothold on which it can propel itself forward.
It is with pride to once again affirm the resilience of boxing in South Africa mindful of the challenges that exist while we are undeterred because of the plans we have put in place to overcome them. Today I stand before you to proudly announce that a lot has been done and the wheels are turning in the right direction.
Our situation can best be characterised by the words of the late father of our Nation, former President of the Republic, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela as I para-phrase his words within our context when he said, we aren’t there yet and after climbing this hill, one only realises that there are more hills to climb, we can only but rest a moment for the long walk to our desired destination is not yet done. Accordingly, we look at the recent past and our effort with pride and look to the future of Boxing in our country with confidence in the commitment that it will return to its glory days.
