Netball South Africa (NSA) finds itself in a tense situation after receiving an invoice from World Netball for legal fees linked to the preliminary investigation of suspended President Cecilia Molokwane.
Molokwane was suspended in April following a disciplinary procedure initiated by World Netball in response to anonymous allegations. The hearing reportedly took place on Wednesday, 6 August 2025, with the final decision expected by December 2025, according to correspondence obtained by SABC Sport.
Netball SA questions fairness of billing
An NSA executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed concern over the federation being asked to foot the bill for a process that did not originate from an internal NSA decision but rather from an external whistleblower report.
“The World Netball invoice has put Netball South Africa in a difficult spot. As a non-profit, we aim for accountability and prudent financial management, but it’s crucial to establish who should bear this cost,” the executive said.
The NSA official argued that the charges are a consequence of actions taken by certain individuals, not a mandate from the federation itself. “It would be unfair and harmful for NSA as an organisation to shoulder this financial responsibility,” they added.
Financial impact and looming deadline
World Netball has billed NSA £15,452.00 approximately R363,000 demanding payment by 30 September 2025. Correspondence indicates that failure to settle the invoice could lead to calls to disband the federation, putting the ongoing executive election process on hold indefinitely.
NSA insiders highlighted the potential strain on critical programmes, particularly the Baby Proteas ahead of the Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar. “Paying this invoice would directly impact funding for player development, grassroots initiatives, and national team preparations, including the U-21 squad and the Senior Spar Proteas test series against New Zealand and Australia,” the executive said.
The sentiment among some within NSA is that those responsible for initiating the investigation should bear the financial burden, rather than the federation as a whole.
Related article: Suspension of Netball SA President Cecilia Molokwane Clouds Her 3rd-Term Ambitions
