KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) president Steve Mkasi has defended his record in office as he prepares to seek re-election, with the official nominations list for the organisation’s presidency due to be released on Friday.
A bruising battle for leadership is anticipated, with the election scheduled to take place a week after the Comrades Marathon on June 8. Independent Media understands there are at least four potential candidates, including Mkasi, seeking election to the position but the true extent of the challenge will only become clear on Friday.
Veteran Pietermaritzburg-based coach Chris White had taken the initiative by announcing his intention to stand earlier this week.
Meanwhile Mkasi, a lawyer by profession, has emphasised the financial stability achieved under his leadership. The previous administration, led by Sello Mokoena, was placed under Athletics South Africa administration in 2018, with Mokoena stepping down the following year.
Mkasi has also cited increased athlete participation at national and international levels, enhanced incentives for international competitors, and a rise in the number of competitions hosted across multiple disciplines by KZNA. He further highlighted the training of technical officials and coaches under the current board.
“I am proud of the work we have done. We have laid the perfect foundation for the future of a massively competitive and visible KZNA.
“We have increased the number of athletes benefitting from the High Performance programme from the 25 funded by the KwaZulu-Natal department of sport to an additional 50 athletes now supported by KZNA,” Mkasi told Independent Media Sport.
A particular point of pride for Mkasi is the incorporation of schools and TVET colleges into the KZNA fold.
“Due to the financial difficulties experienced by government departments, particularly in education, we as a federation must create opportunities for young people to participate in our programmes and assist the education department in assembling teams to represent the KZN DOE at national competitions,” he said.
However, critics have questioned the quality of competitions hosted by KZNA, suggesting a focus on quantity over quality. Mkasi’s leadership style has also come under scrutiny.
White is campaigning on a platform of greater integrity, accountability, and transparency within the federation.
At least one athletics stakeholder approached by Independent Media declined to comment on the state of the sport in the province, citing fear of reprisals.
Veteran coach Victor Vas, however, voiced strong criticism of both regional and national athletics leadership. Based in Salt Rock on the KZN North Coast, Vas has been an athletics coach for 40 years.
“Most federations in recent years have lost touch with reality — their sole purpose is to serve the athlete, not themselves,” he said.
“People with no knowledge or appreciation of athletics have taken up leadership positions and forgotten their fundamental duty: to serve athletes.
“Some of our elite athletes have succeeded not because of the federation but because of private support. The top athlete in KZN today, Zakithi Nene, a world-class 400m runner, would have struggled without private backing. The federation never supported him.”
The race for control of KwaZulu-Natal Athletics looks set to be a fiery one — and the starter’s gun has yet to be fired.
