Boxing SA lands R500,000 sponsorship for development of women’s sector

Securing a R500,000 sponsorship for the development of women’s boxing in SA represents a significant institutional endorsement that blends corporate governance, sports infrastructure and systemic social empowerment, says Boxing SA’s (BSA) COO Mandla Ntlanganiso.

The milestone refers to a landmark partnership between BSA and FirstRand Bank — the financial powerhouse behind FNB, RMB, and WesBank — to systematically uplift and formalise women’s boxing in the country, said Ntlanganiso.

“By empowering women in traditionally male-dominated sectors like boxing, the sponsorship helps build financial independence, community resilience, and confidence among vulnerable groups,” he said.

It is believed the funding was secured through the efforts of BSA board member Rina Subotzky, who is also the chairperson of the Women in Boxing committee.

The development was highlighted during a Women in Boxing webinar held on Thursday evening.

The webinar also revealed that a safeguarding policy had been signed off by BSA board chairperson Ayanda Khumalo, which represented an important commitment to creating an environment in which participants were treated with dignity, fairness and respect.

“The policy applies across the boxing fraternity and provides protections for all participants, including boxers, coaches, promoters, officials and other licensees, regardless of gender,” BSA said in a statement.

“The policy addresses harassment, bullying, discrimination, abuse and other forms of unacceptable conduct, while establishing a framework for reporting concerns and promoting accountability. Its significance goes beyond the adoption of a formal document.

“It sends an important message that the safety and wellbeing of people involved in boxing must be central to the sport’s development and that every participant has a responsibility to contribute to a respectful and professional environment,” the statement added.

“A proposed high-performance programme for national champions and internationally ranked athletes is among the initiatives being considered, reflecting an ambition to provide talented female boxers with more structured support as they pursue competitive success.”

According to the webinar, the sponsorship arrangement impacted the sector in four key ways:

1. “Hardening governance and athlete safety: Corporate sponsorships of this scale require rigid institutional checks. For women’s sports development, this specific funding was unlocked alongside a formal safeguarding policy approved by BSA. This framework establishes accountability, protects female participants from harassment or exploitation, and sets a baseline for institutional safety that can attract further corporate funding.”

2. “Strengthening the talent pipeline: Instead of funding a single high-profile event, a R500,000 injection allows a development committee to invest in foundational growth. The funds are earmarked for:

3. “Elevating commercial visibility: Historically, women’s sports and development initiatives in SA suffer from a lack of broadcasting and commercial media reach.