Boxing SA CEO clears air on legal standing of committees

The resignation last week of Boxing SA’s sanctioning committee chairperson, Irvin Buhlalu, has thrown the regulator into a state of disarray.

The committee’s duties are to ensure that professional tournaments, bouts and title fights adhere strictly to safety, administrative, regulatory, and competitive standards before being given the green light to proceed.

Boxing SA (BSA) has subsequently appointed committee member Droeks Malan as acting chairperson.

The result is that the committee may no longer have a quorum, and questions may be raised over the legality of its decisions until this matter is resolved.

According to the Boxing SA Act, the appointment of sanctioning committee and ratings committee members rests strictly on the BSA board, and those committees must consist of no fewer than four members.

“To understand where these committees stand today, one must look back to how the story truly began,” said Lejaka.

“The legal framework empowering these groups is anchored in section 7(1)(y) of the Boxing South Africa Act of 2001.

“This section grants the board a discretionary power rather than a strict legislative obligation to create such committees, utilising the permissive language of ‘may’ rather than ‘must’ to establish the two committees, of ratings and events-sanctioning.

“Yet, despite this permissive phrasing, these committees have long been woven into the very fabric of the professional boxing ecosystem, serving as the essential guardians of regulatory governance.”

He said the historical context of the constitution and composition of the current ratings and sanctioning committees traced back to July 2024, when the previous BSA board led by Sifiso Shongwe originally constituted both committees for a three-year term stretching to July 2027.

That board was dissolved in August 2024, and a new board was appointed by sports minister Gayton McKenzie on December 19 2024.

Its core mandate was to restore governance and regulatory order and to grow the sport of professional boxing. “The board initiated a comprehensive review of all decisions made by its predecessor,” said Lejaka.

“Between January 9-10 2025, various vital structures — including the medical advisory committee led by Dr Robert Selepe, the audit committee, the ratings and sanctioning committees — presented themselves before the board.

“The medical advisory committee was retained in full for the remainder of its term, as was the ratings committee, chaired by Andre de Vries, keeping all original members intact until July 2027.”

The sanctioning committee, however, faced structural adjustments, he said. Originally constituting four members, its chairperson, Dr Luvuyo Bayeni, had stepped down as a BSA board member upon the dissolution of the previous administration.

“To bridge the gap, Irvin Buhlalu stepped in as acting chairperson,” he explained.

“Then, at its meeting on January 9-10, the current BSA board made the decisive choice to officially retain all members of the sanctioning committee and confirm Buhlalu as its substantive chairperson.”

Lejaka said these actions firmly cemented both committees as recognised, accountable structures operating under the direct oversight of the current board of BSA, submitting required quarterly reports during regular meetings to guarantee transparency.

De Vries requested recusal in April 2026, citing family commitments and other heavy work.

“Though stepping down from the helm, he graciously offered to remain as an ordinary member and the board of BSA appointed Xolile Dike as new chairperson, retaining De Vries, Silence Mabuza and Nika Khumalo as members.”

With the sanctioning committee operating with three members, one short of its required four-member composition, the board initiated a public recruitment process to fill the fourth seat.

“Unfortunately, it yielded limited results, bringing in only three applications, none of whom qualified,” explained Lejaka.

Then Buhlalu resigned last week, leaving the committee with just two members.

Two days later, the BSA board passed an urgent special resolution, and appointed Malan as acting chairperson.

“Hawk Makepula was retained as a member, and Mthokozisi Radebe was brought in temporarily to serve as a third member of the committee,” said Lejaka.

“The BSA board set a new public recruitment process in motion to find two permanent members — one to serve as chairperson and another as a dedicated legal practitioner — after which Radebe would smoothly return to his sole focus as a member of BSA board.”

He said both committees were formally reviewed and retained by the current BSA board chaired by Ayanda Khumalo.

“Despite interim vacancies and leadership changes, the committees have maintained a functional quorum at all material times, with the September 2026 emergency appointments made specifically to preserve that legal standard.” he said.

“Ultimately, this journey reveals a system built on permissive statutory authority but sustained by active, vigilant governance.

“Through due process, transparent public recruitment, and decisive leadership, BSA continues to honour its past foundations while securing a steady, compliant future for the sport,” added Lejaka.