EP union gets green light for April elections
A NEW era will dawn for the troubled EP Rugby Union (EPRU) after SA Rugby official Monde Tabata announced that the cash-strapped union will be holding elections early in April.
This decision was announced at an EPRU meeting held at the St George’s Park cricket stadium on Saturday which was attended by SA Rugby Union president Mark Alexander and other top ranking officials.
Tabata was appointed as an administrator of EP Rugby by Saru after a cash crisis hit the union and it was placed under administration.
The administration of the EPRU is set to be returned to local hands following a series of ground-breaking decisions at Saturday’s meeting.
“It was announced at Saturd meeting that elections will be held in 35 days,” said Tabata.
“We will be calling for nominations from today [Monday]. It has not been decided yet where the meeting will be held, but an announcement will be made nearer to the time.
“The administrator will hand over the union to the new executive after the elections. I am very, very excited about this new dawn and we expect good quality candidates to come forward.
“The cleaned up EP constitution will attract good candidates to come forward. The constitution also talks to the anxieties of potential sponsors.
“Work is being done on sponsorship and at an appropriate time we will release information.”
Tabata said EP Academy players, who had not been receiving payment, will be paid this week.
SA Rugby spokesman Andy Colquhoun said the liquidation of EP Rugby (Pty) Ltd – the commercial arm of the EPRU – will continue in parallel.
“It is hoped that process will now have a more positive outcome than was expected, clearing the way for a recapitalisation plan to move ahead with interested local parties,” said Colquhoun.
Alexander said: “I’d like to commend the Eastern Province rugby community for looking forward and accepting SA Rugby’s proposals. This has been a difficult period for the union but there is now a clear way forward for rugby to restore itself to an even keel.”
When it became clear that EP Rugby would need a new president after the cash crisis storm broke, the names of several potential candidates were mentioned to take over from president Cheeky Watson.
Although Watson and his executive narrowly survived a vote of no-confidence last year, they remain powerless figures with SA Rugby (Saru) still making decisions affecting the cashstrapped union under administration.
Former Springbok star Garth Wright and ex-Southern Spears chief executive Tony McKeever emerged as possible nominations to lead the union.
A clear “succession plan” was drawn up last year by the Rugby Transformation Coalition (RTC).
This emerged after former Springbok Thando Manana said he was available to lead the union when it was thought Watson would be toppled by a vote of no-confidence.
The list of potential candid included RTC spokesman Bantwini Matika, who has been an outspoken critic of Watson and his executive.
The full list of candidates mentioned by the RTC were Wright, McKeever, Manana, Bantwini, Willem Oliphant, Brian van Rooyen, Mbulelo Gidane, Mpumelelo Tshume and Andre Rademan.
Van Rooyen is a former SA Rugby president while Gidane is a former director of sports at NMMU, Tshume is a former Kwaru scrumhalf and Saru exco member, and Rademan is a Crusaders Rugby Club official.
Former Despatch Rugby Club president Oliphant is also known to enjoy support in the rugby community.
Last year Watson said he was ready to quit the union to pursue business interests. He said he did not have the appetite for another election.