Suspended Netball SA (NSA) president Cecilia Molokwane has spoken out for the first time, six months after World Netball (WN) suspended her over allegations of financial mismanagement and intimidation of staff.
With just a week remaining before NSA’s crucial presidential elections, from which she has been barred, Molokwane held a fiery press conference in Polokwane, accusing senior NSA officials of collaborating with WN to undermine her reputation and block her re-election bid.
“This is a deliberate attempt to prevent me from contesting the elections,” Molokwane said. “I have remained silent for too long, but silence does not protect the truth. I called this press conference to demand fairness, transparency, and accountability. I waited until the Telkom Netball League and the Under-21 World Cup concluded to avoid harming the sport I love.”
Allegations Against Netball SA President
Molokwane, who led South Africa’s successful hosting of the 2023 Netball World Cup, claims she is the target of a coordinated smear campaign involving WN, SASCOC, and certain insiders within NSA. She revealed that she first learned of her suspension through an email from World Netball and subsequently resigned from her role as a WN director.
She faces accusations of misusing millions of rands in NSA funds, including money allocated for World Cup preparations, as well as intimidating and bullying staff. Molokwane strongly denies these allegations, calling them unfounded.
“The council could have handled these issues internally,” she said. “NSA lawyers reviewed the claims and found no evidence implicating me. I don’t even control the federation’s finances. On 6 September, I was accused of misappropriating R19 million and staying in hotels 157 times — yet every trip was approved by the CEO. Living in Polokwane, three hours from Johannesburg, I had no choice but to travel for meetings.”
Defence of Leadership and Financial Transparency
Molokwane insisted that NSA’s finances are independently audited and regularly approved by oversight bodies. She argued that her strong leadership style has been misrepresented as intimidation.
“My dedication to netball is being twisted into accusations of bullying. There is no proof of financial misconduct. NSA has internal disciplinary structures, yet they were ignored. I have been sidelined for six months without a formal hearing,” she added.
SASCOC Interference Alleged
Molokwane also criticised SASCOC president Barry Hendricks, accusing him of unlawfully removing her from the official list of federation presidents and interfering in NSA matters.
“SASCOC took my name off the list without following due process. Am I no longer NSA president simply because of that? I am innocent until proven guilty. I was initially eligible to contest the elections, but suddenly I was excluded. Hendricks even publicly stated my matter would be resolved within seven weeks — yet I have received no updates,” she said.
Determined to Restore Reputation
Despite her exclusion from the upcoming elections, Molokwane vowed to continue her fight to clear her name and expose what she describes as “unfair treatment” and “internal sabotage” within NSA.
“I have dedicated years of my life to this sport. I will not allow false accusations to define my legacy. I will continue to fight for justice and ensure the truth is heard,” she concluded, signalling that her battle for vindication is far from over.
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