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Netball South Africa president Cecilia Molokwane
Suspended Netball South Africa president Cecilia Molokwane says she is resuming her position with immediate effect. Molokwane was suspended by World Netball in April of this year due to allegations of fund mismanagement and professional misconduct.
However, Molokwane claims that she will resume her position on Thursday.
She was elected president of Netball SA in 2017 following the body’s Annual General Meeting in Ekurhuleni. Her election was viewed in various quarters of society as vital for the transformation and the development of Netball in South Africa and on the African continent. She was also hailed for playing a key role in the country’s hosting of the Netball World Cup in 2023, the first in Africa after 60 years.
Molokwane is being investigated for alleged mismanagement of R90 million that was allocated for the tournament. She is also accused of mistreatment of staffers and board members.
Breaking her silence for the first time since her suspension in April, Molokwane says she is resuming her role with immediate effect, even though her suspension is still in effect.
“I live that in the hands of World Netball. I am going back to the office. I am a South African. I have been suspended for too long. It is a process that should have taken just one month, but it’s now almost seven months later, and no formal charges have been laid against me,” says Molokwane.
Molokwane insists her suspension by World Netball is part of a smear campaign to block her re-election for a second term. She says she was also earmarked by some countries for the vice-presidency of World Netball in July this year. Netball SA regions are expected to elect new leadership next week.
“The objective is to prevent my candidacy for WN vice presidency because I was already approached by a certain country because they wanted me to be the VP of World Netball that was held in July. I could not contest because I was suspended, what a coincidence. Now is 2025 netball SA election, the same story is unfolding, and I know for a fact that I am thorn for some people,” Molokwane explains.
Molokwane also believes she is a victim of her own firm’s leadership and persistence in transformation. She says she blocked the demotion of black female emperors by a Netball SA director.
Netball SA is the second largest sports federation in South Africa after the South African Football Association, with over two million participants.
