Newly-appointed Boxing South Africa chief executive Tsholofelo Lejaka has warned that rotten apples will fall when he shakes the sport’s tree.
In his approach to get appropriate people to work with him in the journey to turn the fortunes of boxing around.
“The board of BSA chaired by Muditambi Ravele is supportive and the minister Fikile Mbalula is resolute. Why must we fail to deliver the desired results,” he said.
“I am the CEO who wants to deliver a clean audit and also make sure that when a boxer walks in a public space, they command the same appeal that is commanded by football, rugby and cricket luminaries.”
He said he was enjoying the celebratory period of his appointment.
“People say Tsholofelo is a nice guy, but pretty soon you will hear other stories because I will shake the tree and some rotten apples will fall,” he warned.
“People with positive energy will come on board.”
Lejaka, 40, was chief of staff in the office of Mbalula when he was deputy minister of police.
He is currently working as chief director, corporate service in the department of sport, recreation, arts and culture in Pretoria.
The CEO position he will occupy on June 1 has been vacant for a long time, causing the administration of the fistic sport to limp.
Mbalula bragged last week when he confirmed Lejaka as the new boss of boxing: “I am giving boxing the best,” he said.
Commented Lejaka yesterday: “That comes from his objective observation from my approach of work.”
Lejaka says they must bring back the excitement in boxing so that a typical South African looks forward to the weekend because they know there are boxing tournaments coming up.”
Lejaka does not have any knowledge of boxing, but his father, he says, was an amateur boxer.
“Quite honestly I have never been in the ring but growing up in the 80s, we would wake up around 3am to watch boxing – epic battles between Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran among others,” he said.
“In the past six or seven years I have been drawing a salary from the sector from being a public servant in sports and recreation.
“I see my appointment as my opportunity to contribute to the betterment of the sport.”
He says he has got no illusion that he has a mammoth task to shape boxing.
“The trick will be to hold hands with seasoned stake-holders and roleplayers,” he said, adding every era was defined by its leader.
Regarding flagrantly disregard of rules such as promoters failing to deposit purse-monies for boxers prior to tournaments, as per regulations, he said:
“We have to make unpopular decisions which in the immediate might be seen as hostile, but in the long-term they will usher a culture that protects the boxer and promotes their interest.
“We must have a frank conversation with everybody to understand the interests of a boxer.
“We cannot allow what has happened to continue, never.”
He has been advised to put the right people in the right positions and to build a culture that enabled people to perform at their best.
New BSA boss plans to get rid of rotten apples
In his approach to get appropriate people to work with him in the journey to turn the fortunes of boxing around.
“The board of BSA chaired by Muditambi Ravele is supportive and the minister Fikile Mbalula is resolute. Why must we fail to deliver the desired results,” he said.
“I am the CEO who wants to deliver a clean audit and also make sure that when a boxer walks in a public space, they command the same appeal that is commanded by football, rugby and cricket luminaries.”
He said he was enjoying the celebratory period of his appointment.
“People say Tsholofelo is a nice guy, but pretty soon you will hear other stories because I will shake the tree and some rotten apples will fall,” he warned.
“People with positive energy will come on board.”
Lejaka, 40, was chief of staff in the office of Mbalula when he was deputy minister of police.
He is currently working as chief director, corporate service in the department of sport, recreation, arts and culture in Pretoria.
The CEO position he will occupy on June 1 has been vacant for a long time, causing the administration of the fistic sport to limp.
Mbalula bragged last week when he confirmed Lejaka as the new boss of boxing: “I am giving boxing the best,” he said.
Commented Lejaka yesterday: “That comes from his objective observation from my approach of work.”
Lejaka says they must bring back the excitement in boxing so that a typical South African looks forward to the weekend because they know there are boxing tournaments coming up.”
Lejaka does not have any knowledge of boxing, but his father, he says, was an amateur boxer.
“Quite honestly I have never been in the ring but growing up in the 80s, we would wake up around 3am to watch boxing – epic battles between Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran among others,” he said.
“In the past six or seven years I have been drawing a salary from the sector from being a public servant in sports and recreation.
“I see my appointment as my opportunity to contribute to the betterment of the sport.”
He says he has got no illusion that he has a mammoth task to shape boxing.
“The trick will be to hold hands with seasoned stake-holders and roleplayers,” he said, adding every era was defined by its leader.
Regarding flagrantly disregard of rules such as promoters failing to deposit purse-monies for boxers prior to tournaments, as per regulations, he said:
“We have to make unpopular decisions which in the immediate might be seen as hostile, but in the long-term they will usher a culture that protects the boxer and promotes their interest.
“We must have a frank conversation with everybody to understand the interests of a boxer.
“We cannot allow what has happened to continue, never.”
He has been advised to put the right people in the right positions and to build a culture that enabled people to perform at their best.
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