There are some capable people waiting to provide the expertise that athletics in South Africa needs – but they have to be voted into office first
ATHLETICS:Julian Drew
JUST over two years ago athletics staged its first-ever democratic elections which predictably followed overtly political lines. At the time this was understandable because each province was instructed to send two voting delegates, one from the establishment Athletics Union and one from the non-racial Athletics Congress.
With the union fielding more than one candidate for most positions – a politically naive move – and the congress voting en bloc for its single candidates, there was a landslide victory in favour of the congress, many of whom had little background in athletics.
It was important, however, that the new office bearers be given a chance to prove their capabilities to provide a fair basis for assessment at the next elections. Those elections will take place this Saturday in Johannesburg.
The elections are in fact more than a year late after dubious manoeuvres extended the term of office by one year and administrative incompetence saw them delayed several months further. It is to be hoped that this weekend expertise and experience will take precedence over politics.
One of the main problems, according to the president of Eastern Province, Petrus Boukes, is the lack of democracy in Athletics South Africa (ASA) itself. “At the moment there’s too much power vested in the secretary general (Banele Sindani) and chief executive officer (Bernard Rose). The sport is basically being run by two paid administrators and that is not democratic. There is not enough direction from the elected people and the commissions are under utilised.
What Boukes is referring to is the presidium of ASA which undertakes decision- making in the office on behalf of the board. While this should comprise ASA president Leonard Chuene and vice-president John Ncinane as well as Sindani and Rose, in reality Ncinane, because he is based in East London or Cape Town – he is a member of Parliament – was seldom involved.
That left Sindani and Rose making most of the decisions along with Chuene, who has been shown incapable of asserting his authority as president when questionable decisions are made. This was well illustrated when he failed to act in the Sepeng contract scandal exposed by the Mail & Guardian last year which raised still unanswered allegations of fraud against ASA. Chuene continues to defend his lack of action.
The regulations governing the elections give one vote each to the 19 existing members of the board and commissions, two votes to each of the 17 provinces and one vote to each of the five associate members – meaning that present incumbents can vote for themselves.
The highly regarded Western Province president, Alex Marshall, was nominated by several provinces to stand against Chuene but he withdrew last weekend, leaving Chuene unopposed.
“As an emerging province we feel we should focus on our own development for the next five years. We can afford to have Cedric (van Wyk) on the track and field commission but not me as president as well,” says Marshall, who is still standing for vice president and a position as one of two additional members of the board.
His withdrawal caused widespread disappointment. “A lot of people thought there should be change at the top and now he has denied those people the opportunity of opposing Chuene,” said one candidate.
But while there will be no change in the presidency, there are other interesting candidates who can offer much to the sport, none more so than former 1 500m world record-holder Sydney Maree. He has been nominated as an additional board member as well as vice-chairman of the track and field commission.
Maree, who was nominated by his former coach James Mokoka, said: “I will make my judgment based on what I believe I can give. I plan to speak to James to see how much time is required and if I deem that I’m in a position to make a difference and give something back to the sport then I will go about this in a very positive fashion.”
Maree commands universal respect and people with his credibility can give athletics the direction it so desperately needs. Mokoka, who has been coaching for more than 30 years, and Marshall are others with such qualities, as is current board member Chris Hattingh, head of ASA’s doping control. These three are all nominees for the vice- presidency and can thus influence the decisions of the presidium.
Marshall was a member of the Sacos- affiliated Athletics Board and has impressed many since he became president of Western Province last year. Sacos ran a viable alternative to establishment sport during apartheid and many of those who came through its ranks have much to contribute.
“I think ASA should shift into another gear now. We need strong and decisive leadership and I think that has been lacking. We are caught up in all sorts of peripherals while the main issue of athletics and the direction it should be taking is being neglected,” says Marshall.
“ASA needs to be democratised and I’m in favour of changes and breaking away from the old way of doing things. We’ve now moved into the international arena and we need to re-examine a lot of things including our calendar. We need debate and ideas in ASA but at the moment it’s very closed and very intimidating to people on the outside.”
Both Mokoka and Van Wyk are quality candidates to head track and field. Van Wyk is a former Sacos man who threw the javelin 65m as an athlete and now coaches several top high-jumpers including South African record-holder Gavin Lendis. “In Western Province we get completely frustrated because we are neglected by ASA who focus everything on Johannesburg. To bring about change you have to get into ASA. The important thing for me is to fight for a better dispensation for the athletes and that’s why I’m standing,” says Van Wyk.
Chris Britz, South Africa’s top race walker, is another candidate for track and field who deserves a chance.
If Boukes, who also chairs Eastern Province cross country, can make the same impact nationally that he has in his province then he is the ideal candidate to lead ASA’s cross country commission.