Molokwane fails to return as suspended NSA president as elections looms

Suspended Netball South Africa (NSA) president Cecelia Molokwane did not make good on her promise to return to the office and resume her position, in defiance of her suspension by World Netball (WN).

Molokwane was suspended in April via email by the sport’s world governing body over allegations of “financial misconduct and staff intimidation” following whistle-blower information accusing her of misusing millions of rand in NSA resources, including 2023 Netball World Cup funds, and of bullying and intimidating staff members.

But she insisted last week that only the NSA council that elected her had the authority to suspend her, vowing to resume her position, which is currently being held by her vice-president, Mami Diale.

“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,” she said last week.

“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.”

Molokwane is intent on standing for re-election to the top position for a third term when the NSA elections take place this coming weekend.

NSA, for their part, said in a statement that Molokwane was still suspended.

“To our knowledge, (Molokwane) remains suspended under the directives of WN,” said Diale in the statement last week. "We have not received any communication indicating otherwise.

"We are aware of the utterances regarding her resuming her role as president of NSA. As NSA, we have not engaged with (Molokwane) and are unaware of her return to the federation."

The federation also confirmed that Molokwane had not shown up for work at their Johannesburg headquarters on Monday.