The Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture unanimously resolved to recommend to the minister of Sports that athletics SA’s (ASA) board of directors be dissolved due to its inability to undertake its fiduciary duties and for its failure to protect and preserve the interests of athletes.
ASA together with South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) and the department of sports, arts and culture appeared before the committee on Tuesday to account for a letter received from World Athletics placing ASA under its direct supervision.
There is no way the entity could run an effective athletics programme with the level of brokenness that is manifest in this board
— Portfolio committee chairperson Joe McGluwa
The portfolio committee chairperson, Joe McGluwa, said ASA is on the verge of collapse, with no financial controls, an inability to prioritise critical issues and infighting among board members.
“There is no way the entity could run an effective athletics programme with the level of brokenness that is manifest in this board,” the statement read.
“We are going to be wondering when we fail to bring home medals at international events, when we are managing chaos instead of running successful athletics programmes.
“The committee is shocked that the the ministry would leave the federation on autopilot for as long as it has.
”We have called them four times to parliament, raising the same issues they were unable to account on today. When affiliates and provinces are unable to honour winning prizes for athletes, not once, not twice, that is a serious cause for concern."
The committee asked questions about the suspension of the ASA president, James Moloi, and the clumsy manner with which his disciplinary process is being handled.
Committee members also questioned why athletes in Mpumalanga and participants in the Soweto Marathon did not receive their prize money. McGluwa said the committee will not relent on this matter of the outstanding winners’ payments.
The committee also voiced its disappointment with minister Gayton Mckenzie, who did not attend the meeting, despite having previously committed to resolving ASA’s governance and administrative challenges, and having promised a report for Tuesday’s follow-up meeting.
Sowetan
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.