The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Mr Zizi Kodwa, arrived in South Africa from Cote d’Ivoire to join the Presidential Golf Challenge in Cape Town on Friday, 9 February 2024.

Speaking to Government Communication and Information Systems (GCIS) on the sidelines of this engagement, Minister Kodwa reflected on Bafana Bafana’s performance at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire and provided an update on matters facing Boxing South Africa (BSA).

Reflecting on Bafana Bafana’s performance at AFCON, where the national team reached the semifinals of the tournament for the first time in 24 years, the Minister expressed optimism about the team’s future.

Minister Kodwa says, “When Bafana Bafana lost to Mali, I said to them that it was a shock, but there are lessons to be learnt and that they will get to the semifinals. Indeed, they got to the semifinals.”

The Minister adds, “What is clear for me now is that after a long time with Bafana Bafana, we now have sufficient building blocks for a national team to prepare for the next World Cup.”

Minister Kodwa once again the emphasised the importance of focusing on sports development at grassroots level.

The Minister says, “We must focus on grassroots to build on. Bafana Bafana have done us proud as a country. All our national sports teams are performing extremely well. Bafana Bafana have come to the party.”

Minister Kodwa also reflected on the urgency of the BSA matter that is currently before the court. The Minister once again highlighted government’s focus to stabilise leadership and governance at BSA.

The Minister says, “We are dealing with the issue. It takes time, but we have got to be careful in whatever we do.”

The Minister adds, “In a matter of days, I am considering a number of options, including that in the interim while we are dealing with the issue of the main application of the court ruling, whether we should consider appointing an administrator to do the same work that the Board would have done. We are considering that because we do not want licensees, the boxers, and the sport of boxing to suffer because of the lacuna that is there because the board was interdicted.”

Minister Kodwa also says, “I want to bring boxing to its glory days. Whatever we do, we must make sure that there is clarity on issues of governance, there is clarity on issues of stability of leadership.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.