Pretoria - Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula, together with Boxing South Africa and the National Steering Committee on Boxing, will look at how to help resolve the challenges facing the boxing profession at the upcoming National Boxing Indaba.
Boxing South Africa (BSA) has recently faced many challenges after the resignations of some BSA board members, including the chairperson.
Launching the Provincial Izindaba and National Indaba on Thursday, Mbalula said they were working on a comprehensive strategic plan that takes into account immediate, short-term and long-term interventions and implementation strategies in the boxing profession.
Mbalula said the National Boxing Indaba will take place on 27 – 28 September in Johannesburg. The aim of the Boxing Indaba is to deliberate on effective and efficient practices that will improve the administration, governance and regulation of open and professional boxing.
Themed ‘Galvanizing the Future of Boxing for the Boxer’, the National Boxing Indaba will be preceded by Provincial Izindaba to safeguard the interest of the boxer.
The Eastern Cape and Free State will hold their Provincial Izindaba on 30 – 31 August, KwaZulu-Natal will hold it from 9 - 10 August, while Limpopo, Northern Cape, Western Cape, North West and Mpumalanga will hold their Provincial Izindaba from 6 - 7 September.
Mbalula said the Provincial Izindaba and National Indaba were platforms for open and transparent engagement, and exchange of ideas and views for all stakeholders involved in boxing in South Africa.
"Our observation is that there has been too much talk and nobody listening and implementing. We have now decided that the time has come for us to devise and design a practical turnaround strategy for boxing based on sound business, commercial and governance models.”
He said the main aim of the National Steering Committee on Boxing, headed by Mbalula’s Deputy Gert Oosthuizen, was to convene an all-embracing, inclusive and all stakeholders Provincial Izindaba and National Indaba to review the boxing landscape, with the sole purpose of devising a turnaround strategy for amateur/open boxing.
The National Steering Committee must garner the views of boxers, trainers, promoters, managers, ring officials and seize itself with the development and business of boxing in South Africa.
The Steering committee is necessary to mobilise the boxing sector through a consultative process and prepare for the convening of the Provincial Izindaba and National Indaba of boxing in South Africa.
Objectives of the National Indaba
The following objectives will guide the conduct and discussions that will take place at the National Indaba:
- To ensure and safeguard the safety, health, and general well-being of open and professional boxers;
- Profile and promote women’s boxing through vibrant and directed programmes;
- To resuscitate and promote boxing in all the provinces;
- To improve the stature of national and provincial boxing titles;
- To position Boxing SA and SANABO as the custodians of boxing in South Africa as one of the priority codes given specialized attention in 2013, and as a point of reference for all international sanctioning bodies.
Mbalula said discussions at the Boxing Indaba will be enhanced and enriched by both local and grassroots views, together with experts and both local and international role-players.
“We invited international speakers from both professional and open boxing structures to address the National Indaba with a view to drawing opinions from international best practices for standard setting and benchmarking in South Africa,” he said. - SAnews.gov.za
