Behind the glove - getting to know Boxing South Africa’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mandla Ntlanganiso
Mandla hails from the dusty streets of Mdantsane, East London in the Eastern Cape Province. Perhaps, we should be saying, the Mecca of Boxing as it is known for having produced world and national boxing champions. His passion for the fistic sport started at the tender age of 7 years, when he joined a local armature club in his community. Two years later (9 years), the administrative qualities showed up as he had the responsibility of looking after the club kit and equipment. Though his mother and grandmother tried to talk him out of what they deemed “a dangerous sport”, the young boxer’s fire for the sport kept burning.
“I did not choose boxing, it chose me”.
Gloves off – Mandla’s journey continued during his tertiary education years in Cape Town at Peninsula Technikon now known as CPUT. The vision was to ensure that he is equipped with the right skills and knowledge to be able to one day serve his country, South Africa. But the boxing passion showed up again where he and his peers established the first boxing club at CPUT (Peninsula Technikon at the time) named “Siyaqhekeza Boxing Club” which won several championships at SASSU games now known as USSA.
On completion of his qualifications, Mandla was employed as an administrator at the CPUT’s Research Directorate while working voluntarily as part of the university’s boxing club management team. And as they say, the rest is history! His career in the boxing fraternity spans over a 22-year period, having served in numerous roles such as National Development Officer (2007) - South African Students’ Sports Union (SASSU); President (2007) - Western Province Boxing Organisation; General Secretary (2004 – 2006) - Western Cape Boxing Organisation; Executive Board Member – , September 2011 – May 2014 (Appointed by Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture) - Chief Operations Officer in 2022, Accounting Authority Boxing South Africa to now occupying the top seat as the Acting CEO. Apart from his other leadership roles, Mandla also served on the first CPUT Alumni executive of CPUT and subsequently the Convocation executive as he is a proud alma mater of CPUT and wishes to see the institution thrive and playing a pivotal role in nation building and social cohesion. He is also the founding President of the Buffalo City Young Professionals Network and now recently appointed on May 2024 as Board Chairperson of Konwaba Training Institute.
The Acting CEO holds a Nyukela Senior Management Services Pre-entry certificate with National School of Government, Senior Management Development Programme certificate with University of Stellenbosch, B-Tech: Business Administration and National Diploma Office Management with Peninsula Technikon and is currently the MBA candidate with MANCOSA.
“Believe in your dreams, Afterall, that’s where it all begins” - Mandla Ntlanganiso
The Director of Operations oversee amongst others, the management of annual licensing, sanctioning of tournaments, tournament payments, submission of tournaments affidavits, and annual national sparring events. Part of his/her responsibilities is to compile and publish information statistics and compile an Annual Report on activities and to assist in the establishment of Associations or Federation of Associations contemplated in section 28 of the Boxing Act, No. 11 of 2001.
Boxing SA is represented provincially through the service of Provincial Managers whose duties range from exercising effective management of the provincial licensing, supervision of tournaments, and the overall oversight of any professional boxing related matters in each province while fully accountable to the Boxing SA head office. The Provincial Managers resort under the Director of Operations in the course and scope of the execution of their duties.
