Aleck Skhosana and James Moloi in two-horse race for Athletics SA president despite poor records

Steve Mkasi, Durban International Marathon LOC Member during the 2024 Durban International Marathon launch at Riverside Hotel on September 19, 2023 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images)

By Yanga Sibembe

29 May 2025

It will be a showdown between the incumbent Athletics SA president James Moloi and the man he defeated four years ago – Aleck Skhosana – during the federation’s election on Saturday.

The battle for the top seat within Athletics South Africa (ASA) is set to be a two-horse race between current president James Moloi and the man he ousted to gain the seat in 2021 – Aleck Skhosana.

These are two men that have less than stellar administration records and have presided over embarrassing messes in athletics in the past.

Under Skhosana’s presidency, KZN Athletics went bankrupt in 2011. Allegations of fraud, corruption and mismanagement led to the board being removed in 2012, with millions of rands said to have been plundered by the federation’s employees before the rot was exposed.

Skhosana was later cleared of any direct wrongdoing. However, that aspect of his 12-year spell as KZN Athletics boss continues to follow him – with some remaining suspicious of him.

Under Moloi, the ASA was deregistered by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).

The deregistration in February 2025 was a result of the ASA failing to file its annual returns and pay its company fees, despite numerous reminders from the CIPC to comply.

When the CIPC notified the ASA that it had been deregistered, it was because the athletics body had last filed its returns in 2021, when James Moloi became its president. Despite the gravity of the matter and the bad light in which it put the ASA, management sought to downplay the issue, with Moloi calling it a “minor problem”.

Moloi’s administration pointed the finger towards Skhosana’s leadership for the deregistration blunder. However, Moloi’s rival is having none of it.

On why he felt the need to return to the ASA, Skhosana said that he wants to replenish the ASA’s public image – which has taken a blow in recent months due to some administrative ineptitude under Moloi.

“[I want] to restore the image and integrity of Athletics South Africa. You saw in April in Parliament, where the sports portfolio committee declared the ASA as an embarrassment, a disgrace and a mess,” Skhosana said on Newzroom Afrika.

“So, we cannot be able to sit back and watch whilst we are capable of adding value. We once participated and we once resolved these problems in the past. I want to make South African athletics bigger and better. To restore corporate governance,” the presidency hopeful added.

For Moloi, the deregistration debacle is a major blemish on his four-year tenure as the ASA boss. However, it has since been resolved.

But these blemishes do not inspire any confidence.

Aleck Skhosana (former president of the ASA) during the ASA press briefing about his Sascoc presidency candidacy at Athletics House, Houghton Estate, on 11 March 2020 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images)

Others

Moloi cut a proud fatherly figure recently as Team SA returned from the World Relays. The South Africans claimed two gold medals and a bronze at the global tournament.

Despite the aforementioned administrative struggles, South Africans athletics is clearly in a healthy state currently. Whoever takes over the reins will be expected to further improve on this solid foundation instead of undoing it or stagnating it.

Although others, such as Moloi’s vice-president Shireen Noble, have raised their hands for the top job as well – when the ASA’s quadrennial general meeting takes place on Saturday, 31 May, it is expected to be a tightly-fought contest between Skhosana and Moloi.

In addition to the two favourites and Noble, Harold Adams is also in the running. John Mathane was part of the candidates list, but he has since pulled out.

Mathane remains in the running for the deputy president position though. He is alongside Noble, Adams, KZN Athletics president Steve Mkasi, as well as Karabo Mabilo and Sticks Stiglingh in the race for the ASA lieutenant.

Steve Mkasi, Durban International Marathon LOC member during the 2024 Durban International Marathon launch at Riverside Hotel on 19 September 2023 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo: Gallo Images)

Skhosana’s unfinished business

Skhosana first became the big boss of South African athletics in 2014. He was installed after the intervention of World Athletics following a protracted internal battle involving the executive of then president James Evans, as well as an interim board led by Sello Mokoena.

The interim board had surfaced after the impeachment of Evans for allegedly using the ASA’s funds for his own benefit. Evans denied this, but the intervention of World Athletics resulted in the federation convening for a special general meeting.

This is when Skhosana and a new board were elected. However, they could only serve for two years since Evans had vacated his role prematurely. When that short term ended, Skhosana was re-elected – this time to serve a full term.

Considering some of the cleaning up he did upon replacing Evans, Skhosana knows how to lead. But him throwing his name into the hat for re-election four years after being ousted raises the question of whether there aren’t any new faces who harbour ambitions of leading such a federation.

Recycled administrators

For all its “against all odds” victories on the global stage – South African sports sometimes find themselves recycling the same old faces when it comes to administrators.

However, Skhosana says his desire to become the ASA president for the third time is within the constitutional parameters of the national athletics body. He also highlights some of his accomplishments during his six-year tenure.

This includes being deliberate about sending South African athletes to international competitions between Olympic Games, something which did not happen as often prior to Skhosana’s ascension to power. Under the KZN-born administrator talents such as Caster Semenya and Wayde van Niekerk thrived.

How much they thrived because of the ASA’s leadership, or in spite of it, is debatable.

Moloi, who established training camps for the athletes during his term, has promised to continue implementing similar strategic projects should he be reinstated.

“I want to go for the second term because I didn’t finish my plans. So, the second term is for the implementation of whatever plans I’ve got and to bring in [sponsors],” Moloi told SABC Sport.

“I’ve been negotiating with different companies to sponsor Athletics South Africa. But if you leave or you are not there, they are not going to come because now, they are relying on you.

“So, it will be an advantage for Athletics South Africa if I can go back for the second time and implement whatever plans that I’ve got,” the former Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) president added.

Ahead of the elections, there has been some controversy. The CGA and Athletics Free State have both pulled their nomination lists for the various positions set to be contested on Saturday. The councils of the federations say the lists were not properly vetted prior to submission.

In anticipation of possible skirmishes between the various camps, Moloi wrote to the South African Police Service on 23 May, asking for “increased police visibility” and hoping this will “help maintain order and promote a sense of safety throughout the duration of the event”. DM

Categories:

Tags:

DM is much better if you are signed in...

South Africa

Others

Skhosana’s unfinished business

Recycled administrators