By ZINGISA MVUMVU
The Hawks have confirmed they are investigating a leading Eastern Cape boxing promoter over allegations of fraud.
Andile Sidinile of Sijuta Promotions is alleged to have admitted to forging the signature of a top provincial government official.
Provincial Hawks spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni confirmed this week that the docket for the case had been handed over to them.
She however could not divulge details on the matter.
“We are investigating this case, however, since the matter is still under investigation we cannot disclose further information,” Feni said.
A defiant Sidinile yesterday denied any knowledge of the Hawks investigation however and said he had verified this with the elite crime-fighting unit.
“I am not being investigated at all because there is nothing to investigate as far as I am concerned,” a Sidinile said.
“We spoke to them (The Hawks) and they said there was nothing like that. And by the way, what would the Hawks be investigating because it is not like there was someone’s money stolen by me?”
Told that the Hawks had confirmed to the Saturday Dispatch that they were in fact investigating him, Sidinile said he had nothing to hide.
“I still stand my ground that I did nothing wrong.”
The Dispatch reported recently that Sidinile had admitted to forging the signature of department of sport, recreation, arts and culture (Dsrac) CFO, Jason O’Hara.
This came to light after it emerged that the well-known boxing promoter had submitted a sponsorship letter purported to be from the department to Boxing SA, claiming that he had been awarded R1-million for his tournament on April 22.
Dsrac denied any knowledge of this and Sidinile subsequently admitted to having forged the sponsorship letter.
The admission, contained in a letter Sidinile sent to the department on May 19, stated that “this is to confirm that the letter dated 22 April 2016 purported to be from you is in fact not from you”.
Sidinile went on to write that he had committed the act of forgery out of desperation to save his boxing tournament on April 22 from being canned by Boxing SA after he had failed to deposit the boxers’ purse money 14 days prior to the event, as per the rules.
BSA chairperson Ntambi Ravele yesterday said some boxers who participated in the tournament, such as Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni and Simphiwe Vetyeka were yet to be paid.
Ravele also revealed that the BSA disciplinary hearing against Sidinile initially set for next Wednesday, had been rescheduled for a date yet to be confirmed due to “administrative issues”.
Attempts to get comment from Dsrac were unsuccessful yesterday but the department had previously indicated that an internal investigation into the matter was underway.
— zingisam@dispatch.co.za
Hawks confirm probe into boxing promoter
The Hawks have confirmed they are investigating a leading Eastern Cape boxing promoter over allegations of fraud.
Andile Sidinile of Sijuta Promotions is alleged to have admitted to forging the signature of a top provincial government official.
Provincial Hawks spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni confirmed this week that the docket for the case had been handed over to them.
She however could not divulge details on the matter.
“We are investigating this case, however, since the matter is still under investigation we cannot disclose further information,” Feni said.
A defiant Sidinile yesterday denied any knowledge of the Hawks investigation however and said he had verified this with the elite crime-fighting unit.
“I am not being investigated at all because there is nothing to investigate as far as I am concerned,” a Sidinile said.
“We spoke to them (The Hawks) and they said there was nothing like that. And by the way, what would the Hawks be investigating because it is not like there was someone’s money stolen by me?”
Told that the Hawks had confirmed to the Saturday Dispatch that they were in fact investigating him, Sidinile said he had nothing to hide.
“I still stand my ground that I did nothing wrong.”
The Dispatch reported recently that Sidinile had admitted to forging the signature of department of sport, recreation, arts and culture (Dsrac) CFO, Jason O’Hara.
This came to light after it emerged that the well-known boxing promoter had submitted a sponsorship letter purported to be from the department to Boxing SA, claiming that he had been awarded R1-million for his tournament on April 22.
Dsrac denied any knowledge of this and Sidinile subsequently admitted to having forged the sponsorship letter.
The admission, contained in a letter Sidinile sent to the department on May 19, stated that “this is to confirm that the letter dated 22 April 2016 purported to be from you is in fact not from you”.
Sidinile went on to write that he had committed the act of forgery out of desperation to save his boxing tournament on April 22 from being canned by Boxing SA after he had failed to deposit the boxers’ purse money 14 days prior to the event, as per the rules.
BSA chairperson Ntambi Ravele yesterday said some boxers who participated in the tournament, such as Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni and Simphiwe Vetyeka were yet to be paid.
Ravele also revealed that the BSA disciplinary hearing against Sidinile initially set for next Wednesday, had been rescheduled for a date yet to be confirmed due to “administrative issues”.
Attempts to get comment from Dsrac were unsuccessful yesterday but the department had previously indicated that an internal investigation into the matter was underway.
— zingisam@dispatch.co.za
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