The elections, which took place at the
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday during the Annual General Meeting, were
presided over by independent auditor Jako Liebenberg, from LDSW Chartered
Accountants and Auditors, as well as a delegation from the East Cape Sports
Council led by their president, Mkhululi Magada, to ensure a free and fair
election.
The AGM was exceptionally well attended, with 239 of the 258 delegates with voting rights, in attendance, many travelling in from far and wide to be there.
Once the voting process itself had been concluded, the clubs adopted the minutes of the previous AGM as well as the Annual Report and Financials, before the current executive was dissolved and the newly appointed executive was announced.
The newly elected executive are: President, Cheeky Watson; Deputy President, Phillip Jospeh; Vice President: Freddie Makoki; Finance and Marketing, Shelly Ann Baatjies; Coaching and Development, Denver Wannies; Facilities, Charles Kleinbooi and enquiries, George Malgas.
The executive were welcomed to their positions by a jubilant crowd of EP Rugby representatives.
Speaking after the AGM, Watson said his plans were to continue building on the foundations that his executive had already laid.
“We plan to take EP rugby right to the top. We planned to do that when we first came into office and it is what we will continue to strive for,” he said.
“We are extremely excited. It looks very positive, and I feel that the next few years are going to be the most exciting four years for EP Rugby yet,” he said.
Watson also extended an olive branch to the members of the EP Rugby Transformation Movement.
“It is vitally important that we embrace the opposition and that they become part of the building process going forward. We are not going to engage on all the negative stuff said in the build-up to the elections,” he said.
The election results were:
President:
Cheeky Watson - 219
Eben Coltman - 20
Spoilt votes - 0
TOTAL - 239
Deputy President:
Philip Joseph - 211
Bantwini Matika - 27
Spoilt votes - 1
TOTAL - 239
Vice President:
Freddie Makoki - 216
Willie Blunden - 23
Spoilt votes - 0
TOTAL - 239
Finance and Marketing:
Shelly Ann Baatjies - 210
Gillian le Grange - 26
Spoilt votes - 3
TOTAL - 239
Coaching and Development:
Denver Wannies - 214
Maasdorp Cannon - 25
Spoilt votes - 0
TOTAL - 239
Facilities:
Charles Kleinbooi - 212
Marius Gysman - 26
Spoilt votes - 1
TOTAL - 239
Enquiries:
George Malgas (unopposed)
Zolile Ngqeza (withdrew)