SASCOC CEO reflects on four-and-a-half years in charge

Jafta, who has more than two decades worth of experience in sports administration, took over as CEO in 2022 during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. 

She inherited an organisation facing serious financial challenges and instability.

She says SASCOC has since made significant progress, attracted new sponsors and partners while improving its financial position.

"It's been a very interesting road and I think we've made a lot of progress in stabilising the organisation. During the first four years we made sure that we brought in the right people for the right positions, and we changed the image because we aren't in the papers for the wrong reasons. A good governance framework is exactly what sponsors are looking for."

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Although Jafta is pleased with the progress made, she admits one major project remains unfinished and that is changing the organisation's name from SASCOC to Sport SA.

"In the constitution we still refer to Sport SA, there are a few legalities we have to deal with  in respect to registering the name and the whole thing has taken longer than we anticipated."

Team South Africa enjoyed one of its most successful Commonwealth Games campaigns in Glasgow in 2014, winning 40 medals.

Twelve years later, the team returns to the Scottish city with a smaller squad of 112 athletes. 

Jafta says the difference is largely due to changes in the Games programme, with fewer sporting codes and events included this time around.

Jafta was in charge when Team South Africa won 27 medals at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022, and she believes another successful campaign is on the cards in Glasgow.