Eastern Province Athletics writes letter to Athletics SA following Parliamentary probe

Concerns were raised in Parliament about the federation’s credit card use between December 2022 and January 2023.

The EPA board highlighted three key issues in their letter: the two recent parliamentary committee meetings, the sports minister’s public announcement about plans to launch a forensic investigation into ASA’s finances, and SASCOC’s own probe into alleged financial mismanagement within ASA.

Stighling says they need clarity from the new ASA board on the way forward.

"I think the letter if you read it I think it's really straight forward. We all know there were things happening and some commissions, from SASCOC, from the minister of sport but the biggest problem is that as of now we haven't had any follow up communication from the new ASA board to tell us what is the plan, what's happening now,” Stighling said. “They had some meetings but as a province we don't know and our people are asking what's going on and what is the situation and the position. We need clarification on the aspects and the way forward.”

As one of the longest-serving administrators in athletics since 1996, Stighling says several provinces have reached out to him for guidance on the matter.

Speaking to the national broadcaster, he expressed surprise at Athletics South Africa’s silence and questioned why a special council meeting has not been called to update members on what transpired and discuss the way forward.

"Provinces and people phoned me because I'm so many years in athletics. I've been part of the first board in 1976, I was a vice president myself and 12 years on that board. At the end of the day we just need to get clarification on what's the situation and I told all those people that phoned me to keep quiet and give the board space, after the last minute and developments to digest and to discuss and we'll wait for them to give us some feedback,” he added. 

“But now it's weeks and there's no feedback, so, as a province we require feedback. We need to understand what's going on and what the board is doing to deal with it and we need to plan forward because at the end of the day, at stake is athletics and the name of athletics and our position in sport in South Africa and in the world for that matter."