Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie says he asked World Athletics to take a hard line with Athletics South Africa (ASA), as the international body gives the federation six months to overhaul its constitution or face possible suspension.
McKenzie has also ruled out dissolving the ASA board, despite Parliament’s unanimous recommendation in March that he do so, warning that government intervention could trigger the very international sanctions the reform process is intended to prevent.
He was responding to Africa Daily’s questions about a World Athletics letter dated 15 October 2026, which gives ASA six months to adopt a new constitution or face possible sanctions, including provisional suspension of its membership.
“For a long time, the problems in Athletics South Africa have been treated as personality clashes.
“World Athletics has now said what we have said for some time: the problems are structural, and they start with a constitution that doesn’t meet modern governance standards. I asked World Athletics to be firm and to take the lead on this, and they have done so. Government stands fully behind them,” McKenzie said.
In March, Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture unanimously recommended that McKenzie dissolve the ASA board, with committee chairperson Joe McGluwa warning that the federation was on the verge of collapse.
The Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture said the minister could not simply dissolve the board of an independent sports federation without risking consequences from international sporting authorities.
“Government interference in a federation’s affairs is itself a ground for suspension by international federations. Acting unilaterally would risk the very sanction that World Athletics is now trying to avoid,” McKenzie said at the time.
He described the World Athletics roadmap as “a lawful and credible route” to achieving the reforms Parliament had demanded.
Under the roadmap, ASA must adopt a new constitution that introduces term limits, ends self-voting and multiple voting rights, and establishes independent electoral and disciplinary structures. Fresh elections must follow.
The ministry said McKenzie would keep the parliamentary committee informed of progress.
The minister warned ASA’s leadership that it had little room for further delay.
“Nobody wants to see ASA suspended. That outcome is entirely avoidable. ASA has six months and a clear set of requirements. The leadership of ASA must now put the interests of athletics ahead of their own positions and get this done,” he said.
The ministry confirmed that McKenzie had received a copy of the World Athletics letter and said the department would support the reform process “without taking it over”.
Its proposed role includes cooperating with independent observer Zakhele Dlamini, monitoring ASA’s progress through its oversight of public funds allocated to the federation, assisting with engagement with provincial structures and working with the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SASCOC).
McKenzie said athletes should not bear the consequences of the federation’s governance failures.
“Our first concern is the athletes. They have done nothing wrong. They continue to represent South Africa with distinction, and they should not pay the price for failures of administration. We will do everything in our power to make sure they never have to, ” he said.
The developments come amid disciplinary action against suspended ASA president James Moloi.
On Tuesday, ASA’s board removed Moloi with immediate effect, according to a letter to council members seen by Africa Daily.
The letter said the board had acted on the disciplinary panel’s findings and World Athletics’ demand that the sanction be implemented without delay.
On 6 October, a disciplinary panel chaired by retired Judge Basheer Waglay found Moloi guilty of two charges relating to the misuse of ASA funds.
The latest intervention by World Athletics places pressure on ASA to implement constitutional reforms within six months or risk provisional suspension, while the minister maintains that the government must avoid direct intervention that could jeopardise the federation’s international standing.