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EOCGA GIVES NEWLY-APPOINTED CEO THUMBS UP

07/10/2021 08:15:00 BY NTOKOZO MAGONGO

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MBABANE – Eswatini Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (EOCGA) is confident that newly-appointed Chief Executive Officer, Maxwell Jele, will take the organisation to greater heights.

Jele was appointed on a permanent basis after acting for seven months, since March. He will be in office for the next four years following his appointment, which was announced yesterday by EOCGA President Adam ‘Bomber’ Mthethwa at Mountain Inn, Mbabane. Jele has to quit the Eswatini National Tennis Association (ENTA) where he was the President and his Vice-Chairman position at EOCGA which has since been handed to Nhlanhla Maphanga. Maphanga is the Basketball of Eswatini (BASE) President.

Mthethwa announced Jele’s appointment in the company of the Board members including Victor ‘Mavikane’ Dlamini, Nhlanhla Maphanga and Muriel Hofer, who held the position previously. “Following through engagement and considering the task ahead, I am pleased to announce that the Board has appointed Mr Maxwell Jele as the CEO of EOCGA with effect from October 1, 2021. We have full confidence in Maxwell’s abilities to take the institution to new heights and deliver on the mandate. We would like to thank him for accepting this challenge,” he said.

Mthethwa said they had to delay the appointment as they had a huge workload and critical assignment in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games where the country was well represented by athletes in athletics, swimming and boxing. Jele is not new to such a highly regarded position as he previously served as CEO in the National Youth Council, National Tennis Association, and he had also served internationally in organisations including the Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) which is under the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

Qualifications

“Maxwell as you know is a seasoned leader and administrator with a rich history in sport and impressive academic qualifications. He is currently the holder of the best sport leader award following numerous years successfully leading the tennis association as one of the top sports associations in the country. We are confident that this diverse mix of experience and academic qualification is exactly what EOCGA needs at this stage,” he said.

Jele was given three months to facilitate the changes within the tennis structure. He said he was humbled by the appointment. “Thanks to EOCGA for the confidence they have shown on me. I’m certain that we are going to work together for greater heights as we work in developing and focusing on high performance and podium finishes at international stage. All aspects have been considered and for the next three months I will be working closely with the tennis association as they have to also elect a new president,” he said.

Jele takes over the position from Sydney Simelane, who quit early in the year. Eswatini Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association, previously the Swaziland Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association, is the National Olympic Committee representing Eswatini. It was created in 1968 and officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee in 1972.