BNSC appoints task force to probe BFL crisis

Chakalisa Dube | Saturday March 9, 2024 07:16

The BFL is ensnared in a web of discord. At the heart of the turmoil is a clash of wills between the shareholders and the chairman, Nicholas Zakhem.

“Yes, we have constituted a commission to work around the issues at the BFL and they have already started work,” BNSC communications manager, Anderson Nlisana said in an interview yesterday. He said the commission's findings will be made available to the media, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the process.

The BNSC has also assured that it will refrain from interfering in the task force's day-to-day operations, maintaining a hands-off approach to uphold impartiality. “At this point, I would not want to go into further details as to what the scope of their work looks like because we are dealing with a very sensitive matter here.

However, once the commission has finished their duty, they will furnish us with a detailed report, which the BNSC will use to inform itself of the challenges at the BFL and derive from the report possible solutions to address the challenges,” Nlisana said. Insiders have said that some BFL shareholders met the BNSC early this week to express their concerns regarding their waning relationship with Zakhem and the overall poor governance at the league's governing body. Sources added that following the meeting, the BNSC senior officials felt that decisive action was needed to steer the league back on course, which is why a commission has since been appointed.

BFL shareholders said they have watched with furrowed brows as decisions are made by Zakhem without their input. To them, Zakhem's unilateral approach spells danger for the league's future. On the other hand, Zakhem has maintained that his decisions align with the constitution of the BFL.

In related developments, MmegiSport has established that BFL shareholders have agreed to extend Senzo Mbatha's tenure as CEO by one month to facilitate a smooth handover process. Mbatha’s original one-year contract came to an end last month and the BFL said that it will not be renewed.

Additionally, Patrick Motsepe, who resigned last month amid speculation of internal conflict, is expected to resume his role as operations manager. However, when questioned about Motsepe's reported return, Zackhem remained non-committal, stating only that Motsepe had resigned and his potential reinstatement was yet to be confirmed.