SASCOC inquiry recommends major changes

Cape Town - Sports Minister Thokozile Xasa on Friday relayed the recommendations to have emerged from an inquiry into alleged maladministration at the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).

This comes after SASCOC President Gideon Sam, former CEO Tubby Reddy and other senior members of the SASCOC leadership were accused of a range of indiscretions, from mismanagement of funds to ignoring administrative processes. 

Xasa, who described the inquiry process as "open and transparent", said that the recommendations in the report sought to clean up SASCOC. 

The Sport and Recreation Act of 1998, Xasa said, needed to be amended to clarify the role of SASCOC in relation to the Department of Sport. 

The SASCOC board, Xasa added, needed to be made of members without direct links to existing sports federations in the country. 

There should also be three independent positions at all times on the board - the president, an accountant and a commercial lawyer - and these appointments would need to be made by and independent committee. 

In addition, no board member would be able to serve for longer than two four-year terms, while the president would earn a monthly retainer and not be considered a full-time position. 

The positions of CEO, CFO, COO and a Director of Communications, the reports recommends, must be advertised and filled fairly while the applicants must also have no links to any sporting bodies. 

Xasa also recommended that travel benefits for the president and CEO needed to be discussed at the next SASCOC board meeting and that international travel in general needed to be limited. 

An independent audit should be conducted that examined SASCOC's finances over at least the last five years, and any mismanagement or exploitation of funds need to be dealt with. 

Xasa added that the Department had moved for the formation of a national colours board that would determine the awarding of national colours to athletes. 

SASCOC have until April 2019 to implement the recommendations in the report.