Molokwane defies World Netball suspension

A defiant Cecelia Molokwane revealed she is returning to her position as president of Netball South Africa (NSA) despite her suspension by World Netball (WN) over allegations of “financial misconduct and staff intimidation”.

Intent on standing for re-election to the top position for a third term when the NSA elections take place next week, the flamboyant administrator said only the NSA council that elected her has the authority to suspend her.

“I don’t think they did (have the authority to suspend me) because I am not affiliated to WN. NSA is the affiliate. The people who have power over me are the council of NSA.

"If they suspend me, do I have a choice? No.

"Should I abide by the rules and regulations of the NSA constitution? Yes.”

Molokwane was suspended in April via email by the sport’s world governing body following “whistle-blower” information from within NSA accusing her of misusing millions of rand in NSA resources, including funds related to the Netball World Cup, and of bullying and intimidating staff members.

She denied the allegations and termed them a smear campaign by some within the NSA. At a press conference in her hometown of Polokwane on Thursday, she revealed that NSA’s lawyers had cleared her of any wrongdoing and claimed that during all her years as president, NSA received a clean audit.

“The council could have resolved this internally,” she insisted.

“I referred the allegations to NSA’s lawyers, who found nothing implicating me. I don’t even have access to funds.

"On September 6, I was told I had allegedly misused R19 million and stayed in hotels 157 times — but every trip was approved by the CEO. I live in Polokwane, three hours from Johannesburg.

"How else was I expected to attend meetings?”

She believes WN were wrong to suspend her.

“There are processes and procedures. (If people accuse me of wrongdoing) they should first go to council and they should decide what should happen. This is the procedure — take it to the DC and let them decide.

"If I am not happy, I can go to SASCOC and thereafter to Netball Africa, and only after that to WN. But all this was not done.”

It is for this reason that she has decided — after months of being out in the cold without any disciplinary procedures being held by WN — to return to her position.

“I want to respect them (the NSA council) enough to say they should be the ones who decide, because they’ve been asking me what is happening, why are you suspended? They are the ones who must guide and decide what happens to me as their president because they elected me.”

So, she will be making her way back to her position, which is currently being held by her vice-president, Mami Diale.

“What’s next?

I am resuming office with immediate effect. I stood back because I wanted the kids to play netball. I didn’t want anybody to be suspended. But I am resuming office. I am going back to my office.

"I am no longer a member of WN – I resigned from my position as a director – so, they don’t have power over me. I am an elected president of NSA. I am the president of NSA.”