Further enforcing good governance.

 

Past president Simphiwe Maphumulo (2010 - 2013) holds a position of Hon. Vice-President.

It is a long established principle that all sports federations should have individuals on their management structures who are not directly beholden to any member.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is aware of the need, and in 2018 altered its Connstitution to bring one such person/s onto the Management Board.

At MSSA's Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on 1 December 2018, it was unanimously agreed by all those eligible to vote to allow all past Presidents, who have completed all their terms and who currently do not hold an elected position shall be awarded the position of Hon. Vice-President.

Such Hon. Vice-President shall be entitled to attend meetings of the Council, and shall have power to vote at Executive and Management Board Meetings.

By bringing on past presidents who do not hold any other postions within MSSA, MSSA is able to draw on the vast knowledge base of such individuals, as well as have an individual on board who is more objective and detached.

A full list of MSSA's past presidents is as follows:

Date	Name	Protea Colours
1985 - 2013	Colin Webster	Wargames*, Boardgames, Esports
2013 - 2016	Simphiwe Maphumulo	Boardgames*
2016 - 2017	Morizane Boyes (resigned)	Esports
2017 - 2018	Amanda Kwaza	Boardgames, Esports
2018 - 2021	Amanda Kwaza	Boardgames, Esports

*dennotes those persons who have won a World championships while playing for South Africa in a Protea team.

The position of Gauteng Provincial Director is available.

Unfortunately due  to the pressures of work, Ian Bezuidenhout has had to resign from the position of Gauteng Provincial Director.

Thus the Management Board shall be co-opting a person to hold the position until the Annual General Meeting (AGM) whereat a new Gauteng Provincial Director shall be elected for the two-year term.

Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA's) Management Board therefore requests any and all Registered Players who are interested in being co-opted for the position to ask their clubs to nominate them.

Such nomination must include a short motivation, photograph of candidate, and short CV of her/his achievements in the sporting world. The CV must give preference to administrative matters.

Duties of the Provincial Director include:

• Provincial Directors are responsible to the Management Board, and will submit monthly reports of their progress.
• Provincial Directors are empowered to appoint assistant directors but will still be held accountable for such assistant directors.
• The Provincial Director will be held responsible for the running and organisation of all Provincial competitions and championships.

Please note that the closing date for applications is 30 June 2017.

MSSA to consider games titles for 2017

Morizane Boyes playing Tekken Tag Tournament II in Baku.

At the upcoming MSSA Annual General Meeting to be held on 4 December 2016, the MSSA membership shall be faced with the task of determining which game titles to offer at all Provincial and National Championships to be held in 2017.

Although MSSA has offered South African developers an opportunity to have their games included in the official South African competitive circuit, unfortunately, there have not been any submissions.

It is hoped that one day that locally produced and published games will make it onto center stage.

The games that shall be debated, and voted on, are:

Period/genre	Title	Platform	Players
FPS	CS GO	PC	5 v 5
	Battlefield 1	PC	8 v 8
	Call of Duty (latest version)	PC	5 v 5
	Overwatch	PC/console
Sport	FIFA '17	Console	1 v 1
	PES 2017	Console	1 v 1
RTS	StarCraft II	PC	1 v 1
AOS	Dota 2	PC	5 v 5
	League of Legends	PC	5 v 5
	VainGlory	Tablet/cell	3 v 3
Fighting	Tekken Tag Tournament 2	Console	1 v 1
	Street Fighter V	Console	1 v 1
	Mortal Kombat X	Console	1 v 1
	Injustice 2	Console	1 v 1
	Tekken 7	Console	1 v 1
Card	HearthStone	Various	1 v 1

MSSA elections: Who may stand?

With MSSA's elections fast approaching, there are a number of Registered Players who are expressing interest in standing for positions.

Already we are aware that two Registered Players (Morizane Boyes and Colin Webster) shall be standing for the position of President.

But who may stand?

The Constitution is quite clear on the matter.

Any Registered Player who is a fully-paid-up member upon date of nomination (1 November 2016) may stand for any position for which his/her club nominates him/her.

Thus, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) is open season and those who are willing to work, are able to do so.

Rumour has it...

Simphiwe Maphumulo playing a game of Morabaraba

With MSSA's Annual General Meeting (AGM) fast approaching, it is clear that there are a number of people willing to stand for positions to make MSSA even better.

From conversation held, and heard, in the corridors of power, it is rumoured that Simphiwe Maphumulo (MSSA's president) is not looking to do another term.

It was overheard that Simphiwe wants to step down from the Presidency in order to concentrate on the well-being of board games.

While that is a blow to the Presidency, it is certainly a gain for board games.

When looking back, every member, and Registered Player, will take pride in what Simphiwe achieved in his term.

His achievements include:

Simphiwe Maphumulo dealing with SABC TV

• Overhauling the Management Board in terms of how meetings were conducted,
• Devolving a greater amount of authority to various Boards of Control,
• Creating an even greater culture of responsibility among the Chairmen of the Boards of Control, 
• Maintaining MSSA's position of ethical correctness when dealing with SASCOC, and
• Ensuring that MSSA;s vision apropos the development of all gaming was maintained. 

When you consider that Simphiwe did all that he did as a non-paid volunteer, I am sure that all will realise his commitment to gaming.

The big question is, though, who will replace him. These are big shoes to fill!

Quite a few posts up for election at MSSA's 2016 Annual General Meeting

Simphiwe Maphumulo - MSSA's President since December 2013

There is no doubt that the 2016 MSSA Annual General Meeting to be held in December 2016 will be an exciting affair.

Not only will there be some important proposed changes to the Constitution apropos ensuring gender equity, but a number of the positions on the Management Board will be up for grabs.

The positions up for  election are:

1. President
2. 1st  Vice-President (in charge  of development)
3. 2nd vice-president (in charge of umpiring)
4. Board gaming representative
5. Card gaming representative
6. eSports representative
7. National  Schools Director
8. Women's desk
9. Legal adviser
10. Representative for gamers who are differently abled
11. General Secretary

Positions not eligible for election in 2016 are:

1. 3rd Vice President (in charge of events)
2. Figure gaming representative
3. Player's representative

Thus the 2016 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.

As it can be  seen from the above, MSSA does not hold truck with 'succession plans', but instead trusts entirely on its membership applying its mind and electing the right people to further promote gaming in South Africa.

Who will go, and who will stay, that is indeed the question.