Simphiwe Maphumulo elected as MSSA president!

Incredibly only after 19 years of democracy in South Africa, has the MSSA elected in its first black president at its Annual general Meeting held on Sunday, 8 December 2013.

The funny thing is that there are bloggers out there that consider the election of Simphiwe Maphumulo as president to be less than democratic..... One can only laugh!

But who is Simphiwe, and what is his pedigree?

Simphiwe, who comes from Pietermaritzburg, has been a continuously registered player since 2001. Not only that, but Simphiwe has won many Provincial and National Championships in the game of Morabaraba.

But Simphiwe is not just a local champion. According to the MSSA's facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/mindsportssa), Simphiwe has also won the following international championships:

• 2003 Junior World Championships
• 2003 Senior World Championships
• 2012 Senior World Championships
• 2013 Senior World Championships

Simphiwe was too awarded the S A Sports Awards Indigenous Sports Star of the Year Award, and reputedly walked away with a substantial cheque. The award was given by the Hon. Fikile Mbabula (Minister of Sport and Recreation). (http://www.sasportsawards.com/index.php/nominees)

It also seems as though SASCOC is happy with the choice that the MSSA's member clubs have made. In a recent posting made on the MSSA facebook page, it is reported that SASCOC president, Mr Gideon Sam stated:

"Please pass on to Simphiwe my personal congratulations on his election to be the president of MSSA. I look forward to a strong and lengthy relationship with him."

SASCOC is of course THE governing body for sport in South Africa. It is the body that selects teams for the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Commonwealth Games, African Games and others.

Thus, it seems as though the MSSA will have a great 2014!

Transformation in South African gaming!

While watching SABC TV2 yesterday morning (16 October 2013(, the Minister of Sport and Recreation announced the finalists of the South African Sport Awards.

Mind Sports South Africa managed to get Simphiwe Maphumulo nominated for the Indigenous Sports Star of the Year Award. This means as a finalist, Simphiwe automatically picks up a check of R15,000.00 and if he wins the category at the Awards dinner, Simphiwe will get a check of R130,000.00.

This is why eSports is part of the sports structure – so that the gamer can benefit.

The Minister also made it clear that quota's will be enforced in sport.

It is known that the MSSA does as much as possible to ensure that there is representation of all South Africans in its teams.

However, what of privately owned events. The TELKOM DGL still seems to be 'milky white'. All you have to do is look at the photographs, and you will see very few people of colour.

According to the last census, whites only make up 8% of the population, but if you went to rAge, you would think that you were still living in a pre-1994 South Africa.

DSGL, and all other competitions, should get in line with the governments' priorities, otherwise it could be seen that gaming, and the gamers themselves, are reactionary and do not identify with the New South Africa at all.

My suggestion is that DGL should not accept a team in their league if at least 2 of the team members are not blacks.

Think about it!