Africa: The Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture MEC Fezeka Nkomonye will lead the launch of the Eastern Cape Boxing Development Programme on Friday, 24 June 2022, in East London.
The launch coincides with the commemoration of the youth month in South Africa, and it will be utilized as a vehicle to promote youth month programs and social cohesion under the theme: “Celebrating youth month to RENEW, GROW and TRANSFORM boxing in the Eastern Cape Province.”
Over the years, the Eastern Cape Province has produced World Boxing Champions and National Champions; hence it is known as the Mecca of boxing. This spark, however, has decreased in recent years, and boxers are leaving to other provinces due to a lack of tournaments.
To revive and develop boxing, the Department has partnered with Boxing SA as custodian of professional Boxing in South Africa to be directly involved as an implementing agency for the selection of suitable boxing promoters to host 12 development tournaments in the province up until March 2023.
Boxing in the Eastern Cape is not just a sport but a lifestyle and an economical vehicle to many that are involved in it. The love of boxing in the province cuts across all generations.
The Department is the custodian of sport in the province and has an obligatory mandate to develop, promote and support all sports and recreation in the province for nation-building and social cohesion.
Boxing SA is the custodian of professional boxing in the country and has a responsibility to regulate and administer boxing in terms of the South African Boxing Act of 2001.
