The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has formally launched a process to rebuild and stabilise the governance of basketball in South Africa, following the de-recognition of Basketball South Africa due to prolonged governance and administrative failures.

According to the South African Government News Agency, the intervention is being undertaken in partnership with the International Basketball Federation through FIBA Africa, as well as the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee.

The process aims to establish a new, properly governed national basketball federation that will protect athletes, restore confidence in the administration of the sport and secure its long-term future in the country.

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Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie said basketball plays an important role in communities and holds significant potential for youth development and social cohesion.

“Basketball is more than a game. It is a global sport and a way of life that resonates across communities, generations and social boundaries,” McKenzie said.

“In South Africa, it is played and followed by people of all ages and presents significant opportunities for youth development, social cohesion and international participation.”

The department noted that basketball is uniquely accessible, requiring minimal infrastructure at the community level while offering clear pathways to professional and international competition. The growth of street basketball and the global rise of the three-on-three format have further expanded participation and opened new opportunities for innovation and inclusion.

However, the minister expressed concern that persistent governance and administrative failures had undermined these opportunities and damaged the credibility of the sport.

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“Basketball holds enormous potential for South Africa, particularly for our youth. It is precisely because of this potential that we could not allow continued governance failures to undermine the future of the sport,” McKenzie said.

“Our responsibility is to the athletes, the development pipeline and the long-term interests of South African basketball.

”FIBA Africa, the department and the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee have been formally tasked with supporting a structured recovery and reconstitution process.

This includes the development of a comprehensive roadmap for the revival and sustainable growth of basketball, as well as clear steps towards the establishment of a new national federation and the election of credible and representative leadership.

To support the process, FIBA Africa has appointed a member of its board to work closely with the department and SASCOC, providing oversight and technical guidance aligned with international best practice.

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“This process is about restoring integrity, transparency and good governance,” McKenzie said.

“Working with FIBA and SASCOC, we are committed to rebuilding basketball in a way that serves players, administrators and supporters, and positions South Africa to compete successfully on the African continent and internationally.”

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and SASCOC said they will provide regular public updates as the process unfolds, with the shared aim of ensuring that basketball regains its rightful place in South African sport and achieves sustained excellence at continental and global level.