Former Athletics South Africa (ASA) board member Simon Dlamini – serving a three-year ban from involvement in any sports code – remains in contact with members of KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA), according to officials.
Dlamini, the former KZNA vice-president, has allegedly been in contact with former KZNA treasurer and chairman of the Carbineers club, John Hall. Hall said this week that Dlamini had accused him of hampering the ambitions of the provincial body's president, Aleck Skhosana, who hoped to replace former ASA president Leonard Chuene at the head of the national federation.
“I did receive an unsavoury call from Simon Dlamini and, despite attempts to reason with him, he ranted on until I cut off the call,” said Hall.
“I consider Aleck Skhosana to be a friend, as well as a comrade in the sport, and while we have our differences at times, we remain friends.”
A replacement for Chuene – banned by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) earlier this year with Dlamini and former ASA vice-president Kakata Maponyane – is expected to be named by the end of August.
Dlamini is said to remain listed on the KZNA letterhead and has not been formally replaced by the provincial body. KZNA will hold its first official council meeting in a number of years next Saturday, according to administrators, and Dlamini's vacant post is expected to be discussed, along with alleged misappropriation of finances including R940 000 of misused lottery funds which were allocated to develop stadiums in Pietermaritzburg and Umlazi.
“There is conclusive evidence of misappropriation of funds within KZN Athletics,” said a senior club official who would not be named.
Another club administrator said if the allegations of financial misappropriation were proved, charges would be laid against those involved.
“The worst fears of the clubs have been substantiated by evidence that will be presented to the authorities,” he said. “The whole executive and office structure will be called to account.”– Sapa