Two more women join Sascoc board as independent experts

Two women joined the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) board as independent experts on Thursday‚ pushing the female majority on the executive to nearly two thirds.

Ayanda Ngubo‚ an attorney‚ and Mapule Mokoena‚ a chartered accountant‚ were given the thumbs up by the majority of federations before they were co-opted at the board's first meeting‚ Sascoc president Barry Hendricks said.

Incorporating two independents with legal and financial expertise was a requirement arising from the Zulman committee of inquiry into corporate governance issues at Sascoc in 2018.

Mokoena‚ who matriculated with seven distinctions in 2005 and recently graduated with a master's in finance from Harvard‚ was also a top hockey player‚ representing SA at the under-21 World Cup in 2009.

Ngubo‚ head of legal at the SA National Aids Council Trust‚ was previously a partner at Webber Wentzel‚ focusing on human rights law‚ corporate governance for non-profit organisations and land reform.

Of the eight board members elected last month‚ five were women.

With Anant Singh sitting as an ex-officio member by virtue of being an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member‚ the Sascoc board of 11 comprises seven women in total‚ or nearly 64%.

The Sascoc constitution‚ which requires 50% women on the board‚ also allows for up to four co-opted members. Hendricks said the remaining two could be co-opted in the future.

It is understood that some board members have chosen to waive their monthly allowances‚ which in some years have totalled in excess of R2m per annum.