Whoever sports minister Nathi Mthethwa chooses to employ as CEO of Boxing SA remains his discretion, but the truth is that views, suggestions and concerns of the boxing stakeholders should be considered.
Mthethwa is expected to announce the man or woman to permanently occupy boxing’s highest office next year. This after Tsholofelo Lejaka resigned last month, ahead of his five-year term expiry in May 2021.
But the post needs to be advertised and interviews conducted, followed by shortlisting until the candidate who ticks all the boxes ultimately gets the nod.
In the meantime, Boxing SA’s board appointed director of operations Cindy Nkomo in an acting capacity. The fight fraternity, generally, prefers someone with vast knowledge of the fistic sport who they say will talk from the belly about their beloved sport which is at its lowest ebb in SA.
But the position of the CEO has nothing to do with jabs, uppercuts and hooks but a lot about policy and luring sponsors back to the sport among the deliverables.
The name of Lovemore Ndou is the one which seems on almost everyone’s lips of the licensees. Ndou is the vastly experienced former two-weight world champion from Musina who has lived in Australia since 1995. He is a practising lawyer who opened a law firm in Rockdale, south of Sydney.
Former dual world champions Dingaan Thobela and Isaac Hlatshwayo, and promoter Sandile Xaka, are some of the many licensees who believe in Ndou. But female promoters Zandile Malinga and Joyce Kungwane did not express their preferred candidate.
“Boxing needs someone in the calibre of Lovemore,” said Thobela.
“He has been exposed to all boxing challenges and is known all around the world. He has gained experience in Australia not only as a fighter but also in administration because he has been giving advice to people as to how to go about making boxing a better sport.”
Hlatshwayo said Ndou's education and experience as a former boxer vouch for him.
“Lovemore is one of our legends and he's highly educated. His law expertise will come in handy in amending the SA Boxing Act of 2001 and most importantly change Boxing SA’s contracts that bind a boxer to the trainer, manager and promoter. Cindy [Nkomo] has been a boxing fan and has developed a love for boxing which is good but Lovemore has been in the square jungle the rest of his life and absorbed all the knowledge we need from the leadership,” he said.
Xaka said: “Lovemore is a big name in boxing internationally. We can benefit from his experience because he has been all over the world as a world champion, so I believe that will work in our favour. His legal background can come in handy in terms of advising because we all know that BSA is forever in courts defending cases and that means it lacks in the legal department.”
But the female licencees Malinga and Kungwane feel the next CEO should be someone who is familiar with local conditions, which might also translate to SA boxing politics.
“I am not sure how familiar Lovemore is with South African boxing. I can’t say I am for so and so and not for that person but instead I am in for anybody whose heart is in professional boxing and wants to see it prosper. That is what we want; amendment of the act, we want boxing to be in the eyes of people like they do with soccer. We've been talking and talking and we are tired now; we want real change,” Malinga said.
Kungwane said: “The best candidate for me will be someone who does not belongs to any boxing camp. It must be somebody neutral and objective with the interest of boxing at heart.”
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