The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is considering the establishment of a Sports Federations Tribunal to strengthen the governance of sporting bodies, the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture heard on Tuesday.
Deputy Director-General for Sport and Recreation, Mr Roy Campbell, said this proposal forms part of four policy reviews currently under consideration by the Department. He said that among other measures, the department is looking to increase ministerial oversight of all federations.
To this end, the department will soon draft regulations on the fitness of individuals to serve as board members and introduce stronger mechanisms for government review and event oversight, he said. Mr Campbell added that department had engaged with a team to explore funding options for the proposed review.
Together with Deputy Minister Ms Peace Mabe and the President of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), Mr Barry Hendricks, the department accompanied Athletics South Africa (ASA) in a meeting with the committee. The briefing followed correspondence from the global athletics governing body indicating that it would implement direct monitoring of ASA.
Mr Hendricks told the committee that overseeing 14 federations is a complex task, made more difficult by insufficient funding, and that each federation presented unique challenges. He also noted that the challenges confronting ASA are significant but not insurmountable. The federation can restore its credibility and rebuild stakeholder confidence, he said.
Among the many issues raised, ASA was questioned about the suspension of its president, Mr James Moloi, in connection with the alleged misuse of a credit card. The federation had implemented a plan to supplement his remuneration with monthly payments of R18,000; however, this did not prevent further alleged misuse.
Other matters under consideration included:
- R1.7 million spent on national tournaments
- Failure to appoint a CEO after a year in office
- Non-payment of prize money to marathon athletes
- Allegations of Lotto funding misappropriation by the acting CEO
- Board member absenteeism
- The suspension of the president and five other executives, as recommended in the Mazar report
- Inaction on a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report recommending criminal charges
Acting ASA President Mr John Mathane asked the committee for another chance to implement reforms and ensure good government at all levels, but committee members were not convinced.
The Portfolio Committee Chair, Ms Faith Muthambi, criticised the handling of Mr Moloi’s suspension. She added that the committee should consider taking legal action against board members who are failing in their duties and subjecting people to unnecessary hardship. The non-payment of athletes has caused serious reputational damage to ASA, she affirmed.
She added that the loss of trust among committee members, the public and potential investors was a matter of serious concern.
Committee member Mr Marlon Daniels highlighted governance failures, remarking that “there is no way a donkey can be turned into a resource”. He asked Mr Hendricks if he thought the ASA should be placed under administration, to which Mr Hendricks replied that he believed the ASA can improve.
“We will work with them. People are often elected based on popularity rather than competence,” Mr Hendricks said. However, Mr Daniels expressed scepticism about whether a task team could resolve ASA’s governance issues.
Deputy Minister Mabe said the department will hold further engagements with SASCOC to reassess the concerns raised by the committee. She noted that if federations are not adequately funded, South African sport will not excel. She agreed that the non-payment of athletes is unacceptable and promised to ensure that commitments to athletes are honoured.
Committee Chairperson Mr Joe McGluwa said the committee secretariat would seek legal advice on preparing a parliamentary resolution on the possible dissolution of the ASA board. He also suggested that the time for talk has passed; action is now required. “We must intervene; this is not about punishing anyone but rescuing this entity.”
He also urged ASA to consider launching a billboard campaign to promote South Africa’s athletes. The committee unanimously supported the dissolution of the board and the placement of ASA under administration.
Sibongile Maputi
1 April 2026
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