MSSA elections allow change and growth.

Amanda Pakade (in red) has, as MSSA President, ensured the democratic functioning of MSSA.

Mind Sports South Africa's elections are fast approaching. MSSA is the only South African national federation that allows an athlete to be elected onto its Board as well as allowing a fast, and direct, path for administrators while cutting out 'dead-men's shoes'.

All elections are done on a staggered basis. The system of doing the elections on a staggered basis allows MSSA to have a greater degree of stability as the entire Management Board is not able to be elected at any one time which preserves MSSA's continuity and knowledge base.

It is an ongoing policy for Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) to make this type of early announcement in order to help member clubs and Registered Players prepare themselves.

An interesting aspect of the 2019 Annual General Meeting is that there are 12 positions that are available for election on the Management Board. This means that the majority of the positions are available which could mean that the MSSA may present a very different committee to what it has done in the past.

As everyone already knows, the MSSA is a democratic organisation, where only decisions of the committee that are enforced, and never the will of any one individual.

The 2019 elections may thus prove to be a watershed for all of the disciplines within the MSSA as well as for MSSA itself.

All athletes are reminded that only affiliated clubs may nominate players who are registered and fully-paid-up for positions on any of the committee.

• A member club nominates the Registered Player on the prescribed
  form, and
• The Nomination Form has been submitted to MSSA on or before 1 November 2019, and
• The Registered Player is fully-paid-up for the 2019/2020 year as at the date of nomination, and
• The club nominating the Registered Player has paid its affiliation fees for the 2019/2020 season on or before 1 November 2019.

However it should be noted that only persons who meet the following criteria may be elected on to the Management Board:

1. Have served a full term on the Management Board, or
2. Have served a full term as Provincial Director, or
3. Have served two full terms as Regional Director, or
4. Have served two full terms on a Board of Control, or
5. Have earned at least ten (10) Protea caps, or
6. Have served three years on the club committee of which they are currently a member.

The positions up for election are (3 year terms):

1. Vice- President
2. Two Executive Officers 
3. General Secretary
4. Disabled Gamers' Representative
5. Legal Advisor (only a qualified lawyer may hold this position)
6. National Schools' Director (only an Educator may hold this position)
7. Disabled Gamers’ Representative
8. Womens’ Representative (only a female may hold this position)
9. Wargames Representative
10. Card Gaming Representative
11. Board Gaming Representative

Positions not eligible for election in 2019 are:

1. President
2. Three Executive Officers
3. Esports Representative
4. Figure Gaming representative

The following Provincial Directorships are also available (2 year terms):

1. Eastern Cape
2. Free State
3. Gauteng
4. KwaZulu Natal
5. Limpopo
6. Mpumalanga
7. Northern Cape
8. North West
9. Western Cape

All the following 56 Regional Directorships are also available for election (1 year term).

Thus the 2019 elections will be more than interesting.

Never before have so many positions become available at the same time.

There is no doubt that the committee has worked well over the past number of years, and it will indeed be interesting to again see democracy at work.