Cape Town’s Newlands Stadium, though quiet now, echoes with decades of rugby legacy — a hallowed ground haunted not by past defeats, but by boardroom battles that have kept the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) in a state of perennial disarray.
Yet, on April 30, a new chapter was opened, not with thunderous applause, but with silent determination. Cape Town attorney Kevin Kiewitz was elected as the new President of WPRFU — a man with a vision not just for sport, but for stability.
Kiewitz’s rise to leadership is both symbolic and strategic. Known more for his work in the legal field than the rugby pitch, he brings with him not just legal acumen, but a promise to restore governance and credibility to a union fractured by years of internal conflict. His victory, by a modest yet meaningful 54% vote, signals a union desperate for calm waters after the storm.
The significance of Kiewitz’s election is underscored by the chaos that accompanied it. No observers were present during the voting — a troubling absence in a process meant to usher in transparency.
More dramatically, the event was marked by the attempted return of former president Zelt Marais, whose controversial tenure left deep scars in the union. Barred by security from entering the election venue due to a 10-year suspension by SARU for misconduct, Marais’s exclusion was as symbolic as it was legal: the door to Western Province’s past has finally been closed.
For Kiewitz and his newly elected board — Moneeb Levy as Deputy President and Shamila Sulayman as Vice President — the challenge ahead is immense. They inherit a union riddled with mistrust, financial woes, and a battered public image.
But they also inherit something precious: the promise of the Stormers, Western Province’s professional team, whose on-field performance has, at times, been the only beacon of hope amid off-field dysfunction.
The Stormers deserve better. They deserve a foundation built not on personal ambition, but on professionalism, peace, and unity. Rugby is not just a game — it is a culture, a lifeline for communities across the Cape. It is time to honour that.
Levy and Sulayman bring their own strengths.
Levy not only has proven leadership skills honed in the corporate world, but with strong community ties and vast experience in youthand senior rugby development, could be pivotal in reconnecting WP Rugby to grassroots structures.
Sulayman, the first woman to serve in such a senior role in the union, marks a progressive shift in an institution long steeped in patriarchal tradition. The Collegians Rugby Club president’s appointment signals a commitment to inclusivity and modernisation — qualities sorely needed in the sport’s transformation journey.
Yet the real test begins now. Governance reforms must be prioritised. The financial quagmire left by poor decision-making must be addressed. Most importantly, the new leadership must foster trust — within clubs, among fans, and with SARU.
The old guard has often treated the union like a fiefdom; Kiewitz and his board must now turn it into a functional, democratic institution. The rugby community in the Western Cape — passionate, diverse, and long-suffering — deserves leadership that listens, plans, and delivers.
There is no guarantee of success. But in the quiet confidence of Kevin Kiewitz, and in the clean break from the toxic politics of the past, there lies a rare opportunity. The boardroom may finally stop drowning the roar of the crowd. Rugby, at Western Province, might just begin to breathe again.
Will the new leadership rise above the ghost of Marais and write a fresh legacy? For now, hope has a new name — and it wears a lawyer’s tie, not a jersey.
