New SA Racing Operator gets Commission Green Light 4Racing, the new South African horseracing operator formerly known as Mary Oppenheimer Daughters (MOD) has emerged from the ashes of the Phumelela Gaming business rescue and has been given the green light by the Competition Commission. 4Racing will make its debut shortly when it jumps from the starting gates as the sponsor of Champions Day on 1 May 2021 at Turffontein. ACCORDING TO the company, 4Racing has been established with the purpose of stabilising, protecting, and radically transforming the horse racing industry at every level and its focus is on establishing a solid foundation from which the industry can once again thrive for the benefit of all stakeholders, starting with the workforce of racing, but importantly also partnering broadly to drive and deliver collaborative, inclusive, and disruptive growth in jobs and the economy of horse racing.
Mxolisi Zwane has been appointed of Chairman of 4Racing
Mxolisi Zwane has been appointed of Chairman of 4Racing, e¡ ective from 1 April.…… Zwane, an attorney of the High Court of South Africa, is a prominent Human Rights activist, as well as being an experienced arbitrator with the Association of Arbitrators, and has held several esteemed positions and served as Director on many boards, including the Pan South African Language Board, National Heritage Council, National Lotteries Commission, Gauteng Tourism Authority, Black Business Council, Chamber of Commerce & Industries (CHAMSA) and Premier Foods to name but a few. A Managing Partner at Zwane-Sambo Inc., Zwane has also held the position of Chairperson of the Gauteng Gambling Board and is therefore well acquainted with horseracing and the challenges the sport has experienced over the years. “I am extremely excited to have been presented with the opportunity this position has provided me and I look forward to engaging with all necessary stakeholders as 4Racing proceeds with the vital transformation and rebuilding of the South African horseracing industry” states Zwane.
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Gaming For Africa
committed to levelling the playing “This industry has many fields with regards to stakes stakeholders and, importantly, in the regions in which we will provides both employment for be operating, while details of thousands as well as significant an additional Seasonal Stakes tax revenue for Treasury. This Program will also be announced makes our work really crucial, shortly” states Restructuring task both for preserving the jobs Team member Charles Savage. and livelihoods of many, and for “This program will include placing growing the sport which has additional emphasis (and with su¡ ered enormously over the Restructuring Task Team it, greater prize money) on the past decades” continued Zwane. Member Charles Savage extending of the Triple Crown as “The challenge is there for all to well as other initiatives designed to encourage see and I am extremely confident 4Racing will greater competition across racing jurisdictions help deliver racing back to the owners, punters, to ensure our champions compete against one racing yards and complimentary businesses that another more regularly.” rely on a sustainable, growing industry for their Digital transformation of the industry is of livelihoods and enjoyment.” paramount importance as we seek to elevate SA In addition to Zwane’s imminent arrival racing, and plans are being drawn up for largeto oversee a new era, 4Racing is expecting scale investment into improving the product to receive approval from the Competition for the betterment of all stakeholders. Special Commission by the end of March to proceed attention is being paid to ensuring our products with rolling out their strategy, following which and services are easier for partners to carry and focus will be on attaining all the necessary deliver to their customers, while we also aim to licensing from the Gambling Board. This will be a build on our existing international partnerships key milestone given the distress the industry has been under for some time. “There is still plenty of to maximise revenue opportunities and improve the showcasing and broadcast of our world-class work to be done, but 4Racing is optimistic that racing product both locally and abroad. the necessary pieces will start falling into place 4Racing has already engaged extensively with given the amount of work that’s already been Government to create a platform to build a better done” said Zwane. understanding of horseracing and to win over The original priority for MOD, and therefore then state’s support as we seek to rebuild from for 4Racing, has been to save jobs and pave the bottom up. This includes both the on- and o¡the way for a sustainable industry, while looking course product where improvements with the TAB after the interests of all parties. Of particular experience are essential and where the promotion importance are the most vulnerable – grooms of the various tote o¡ erings are essential for the employed by the racing stables and those funding and sustainability of the industry. working on the farms. “There is so much to be done, and we have To this end 4Racing will include a broada great responsibility to elevate this wonderful based ownership scheme (Grooms Trust) with sport to the position it so richly deserves” says an Empowered Shareholder structure and Zwane. “We really can’t wait to start generating employee share ownership program to meet the momentum and seeing the strategies the requirements of Statement 100 of the Codes. Restructuring Task Team, MOD and other The new structure will not only provide for dedicated people have been working on so shareholding for empowered shareholders, but tirelessly. We look forward to collaborating, and will also include a revenue share to fund new partnering, with all industry stakeholders under initiatives, such as a Pension Fund. a common purpose and goal – and to do it all “As a direct result of the Plan, 4Racing will 4Racing” concludes Zwane. take over the employment of approximately Continued on page 18 1,040 employees, while operationally we are April / May 2021
