South African President Jacob Zuma has reportedly acted on the appeal of Filipino world champion Rey Loreto and another Filipino boxer who fought in East London March 23 but were not paid their prize money amounting to $45,000.
President Zuma, an avid boxing fan just like his predecessor, the late South African President and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, reportedly ordered an investigation and action on the unpaid purse by a South African boxing promoter following an open letter written by former North Cotabato Governor Manny Piñol which appeared in newspapers in that country.
Thabiso Mosia, a South African journalist who works with PowerFM.co.za, yesterday called Governor Piñol from Johannesburg to conduct a live radio interview on the controversy which has become a national scandal in South Africa.
“The Office of President Jacob Zuma has confirmed that they have read your letter and that they are undertaking actions,” Mosia told Gov. Piñol during the live radio interview.
Mosia sai that while the Office of President Zuma did not give out the details of the President’s action, it was believed that the investigation would focus on the role of Boxing South Africa, a government agency which supervises professional boxing in the country, whose representative, Phakamile Jacobs, assured Piñol and the Filipino boxers that their purses would be paid after the fight.
Loreto, the current IBO Junior Flyweight Champion, was engaged to defend his title against South African Nkosinathi Joyi, himself a former world champion who lost to the Filipino in their first fight in Monaco in February this year in East London on March 23.
Also engaged to appear in the undercard was another Filipino boxer Jetly Purisima who fought in a 10-round bout.
Loreto knocked out Joyi in the first round while Purisima lost by decision in 10 rounds.
During the weigh in on March 22, South African promoter Siphatho Handi of Mamali Productions informed Piñol and the boxers that the funds coming from the Eastern Cape Provincial Government were not released on time but that the purses would be paid March 25 through wire transfer.
Present during the meeting with the boxers were Jacobs of Boxing South Africa, IBO supervisor Len Hunt and a representative of the Eastern Cape Provincial Government who assured the Filipino group that the commitment of the payment would be fulfilled.
Handi, however, failed to pay the purse until today.
Mosia said he expects results from the action of President Zuma on the problem which he said has become an embarrassment for South African boxing.
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