From Leonard Neil]

I have been actively engaged in the writing, promotional scene, matchmaking, radio and TV commentating, tournament direction and organizing of television dates for professional boxing in South Africa during the past 50 years As such I am regarded as the 'senior servant' of the sport.

My major concern at the present situation is that too many solid, hard-working promoters countrywide are being forced into oblivion through the manner in which television dates are currently awarded.

During the past 20 years I have actively assisted numerous black promoters, many of them from the previously disadvantaged communities in organizing large-scale tournaments. I have done this generally on the basis of being paid only my personal expenses involved without wanting further remuneration as 1 have been fully aware of the fact that even the most successful tournaments have made minimal profits.

However, I am now faced with the fact that the majority of these promoters are no longer active, which is distressing as each has been a loyal servant to boxing, and has donated his or her own resources, time and finance, to flitter the sport.

I give as a prime example the situation in the Port Elizabeth /Uitenhage region, where I noticed closely with five such promoters. Only one, David Faas who is appearing before your committee at present~ is still active in major tournaments, hut mainly at his own expense and without TV assistance. He is now domiciled in Cape Town.

Another, Mfama, continues with occasional minor, development shows. Others such as Stokoe; Mzilikazi and the Eastern Cape’s first black woman promoter; have left the scene I had in the past helped each of them stage national title tournaments1 attracting large audiences as well, in their region. I can reveal similar instances with promoters in the Gauteng and Free State areas.

What does seem out of place in these activities is that during the past 10 years, when South Africa has allegedly been enjoying democracy and transformation, this certainly does not appear to be the case with professional boxing Instead7 black promoters - and I repeat marry from previously disadvantaged communities - have been forced to the sidelines while the majority of TV dates have been handed on a plate to white promoters.

The main beneficiary in this respect has been not merely a South African white, but an immigrant from a former Eastern European country. This has also meant that in order to obtain fights, many young South African boxers have been forced to tie themselves up to this promoter, and to leave those who might otherwise have been working behind them. The result is that we also find many of the good, solid managers and trainers of the last 20 years - again r refer to those from black communities - who have exited the sport because of this situation.

My reference in the above awarding of TV dates concerns the national broadcaster, SABCTV. But a similar situation controls the activities of M NET boxing. in which a single promoting body - again a white promoter has the rights to all boxing dates. In this instance his own black partner is given the opportunity to be active in some circumstances, but here again this Limits the availability of any dates to those directly connected with the major white promoter.

Is this situation totally fair? There are allegations of corrupt activities behind the scenes in many of the instances. There arc claims that dates allocated in recent times by the national broadcaster have seen favoritism for a promoter because that promoter has access to brothels, and has provided free services from these to an over-sexed member of the TV dates providing body. This and other allegations have become general knowledge in boxing circles but, of course, would require professional probing and investigation, although there are persons who claim to be in possession of evidence which could be obtained by the right sources.

Although I am whit; I have worked closely with promoters of all race groups through the years. As far back as 1953, when a young man myself, 1 accompanied the great promoter Benny Singh, a Durban Indian, to a meeting in Pretoria with tile then Minister of the Interior (now Home Affairs) Dr. B Donges, where we pleaded the case to be allowed to import the first black fighter from overseas to appear in a South African tournament This was granted - and West Africa's Roy Ankrah met Speedy Bandes in the Durban City Hall.

I was also, in association with the late Maurice Tow e~, to meet Dr Pitt Koornhof, in 1973 to pursue the project to have black and white boxing integrated in this country Our success in that venture led to what has become recognized as the initial breakdown of apartheid in sport. I was able, shortly after this, to address a group of apartheid cabinet ministers in which l stated that should they take a close look at how blacks and whites intertwined on an amiable and sociable basis in boxing, they may well see a bright future for this country. Two of those ministers later told 'tie I had opened a new channel of thinking to them Hendrik Schoeman and Dr Connie Mulder. Others rejected the idea,

I have been directly responsible for the opportunity five South Africans had which saw them becoming world champions. All were black fighters. I have also been involved in a dozen more who have succeeded at the highest level of achievement and won world titles in various originations. Only two were whites.

I trust that this shows my interest is dedicated to helping boxing wherever possible. I will continue to do so, but there is clearly deep-rooted frustration and concern in the sport -