Parliament, Thursday, 23 April 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture wrote to the Minister of Sport, Mr Gayton McKenzie, on Thursday regarding its resolution to have Athletics South Africa’s (ASA) board dissolved.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Joe McGluwa, said the committee had been patient with ASA for far too long, despite there being no meaningful resolution of its governance challenges.
“The committee has consistently raised concerns regarding the federation’s inability to provide stable governance leadership, maintain adequate financial controls and protect the interests of athletes,” the Chairperson said. “Leadership instability, especially relating to the appointment of a permanent Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the failure to ensure payment of prize monies owed to athletes participating in sanctioned events, has begun to threaten the future of athletics in our country.”
Mr McGluwa said, despite repeated assurances by the federation, the department and the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) that corrective measures would be implemented, the governance crisis continues to deteriorate. “In light of the repeated failure of the current board to remedy the longstanding deficiencies, and after exhausting parliamentary oversight mechanisms through multiple engagements, the committee has recommended that the Minister take action to dissolve the current board,” said the Chairperson. “It is imperative to restore stability, accountability and public confidence in the federation. Governance failures within ASA are a matter of grave concern.”
The committee has given the Minister 14 working days to provide Parliament with a written response outlining the actions that will be taken to address this matter.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SPORT, ARTS AND CULTURE, MR JOE MCGLUWA.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Name: Mr Sibongile Maputi
Cell: 081 052 6060
Email: smaputi@parliament.gov.za
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