Time to bring honour, transparency and excellence back to our cricket
This article attempts to take a leaf out of Dr Arthur KeppelJones s book When ’ Smuts Goes, published in 1947. The book is a futuristic novel forecasting the history of SA. It gives a remarkable account covering, correctly, the ascent of Afrikaner nationalists and their increasingly destructive quest for total apartheid after the fall of Jan Smuts and the United Party.
It records the declaration of a second SA Republic. The inevitable racial conflict is detailed, culminating in foreign intervention, bloodshed and the establishment of majority rule. Keppel-Jones did not forecast a peaceful revolution, though. He assumed a bloody struggle, with the white population eventually fleeing to Argentina. It is a bold, astonishing account of the way he saw the future.
This column was written on September 15, two weeks before publication. A dangerous move as daily calamities change the SA cricket landscape in a whisper. However, this is not a futuristic article on what will happen; rather, it is about what I think is in the best interests of SA cricket to happen ”.
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The members council and
’
board of Cricket SA have absolutely no credibility. They remain in their laager of selfinterest. Cricket in SA is on hold with no direction, and the cricket season remains under considerable threat. Conflicts of interests abound, led by the nonrelease of the Fundudzi forensic report, the Sascoc (SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee) intervention and the various extraordinary actions of the newly appointed independent director and transformation chair, Eugenia Kula-Ameyaw.
With the loss of sponsors likely to increase the looming R654m deficit by 2023, together with the reputational damage and possibility of International Cricket Council or Sascoc sanctions, we will be left in tatters.
This column proposes a way forward to bring back honour, transparency, excellence and transformation. While Cricket SA s ability to self-correct seems a far-off dream, the members
’ council must, with urgency, stand up to their responsibility and develop a restoration strategy. That is their duty.
They will have to make public the unabridged forensic report. Then, when the necessary action has been taken against those who have transgressed, the refreshed council will be in a position to move forward. The council needs to set up an autonomous, independent committee of experts to propose a way forward that will include restructuring of the board.
They will need to elect a nominations committee to propose candidates for the new board, for the council s approval.
The role of the independent committee of experts is the key ingredient for renewal.
The selection of its members by the council must embrace people with remarkable skills and experience. They should not have had any position in Cricket SA structures for a long time to ensure no conflict of interest.
Some names come to mind. Chris Nicholson as chair, Hashim Amla and soon-toretire auditor-general Kimi Makwetu seem a perfect mix. All are passionate about cricket and have the various skills and authority within SA and SA cricket. There is perhaps room for one more.
The experts committee will be able to consult with the likes of David Richardson, Haroon Lorgat, the SA Cricketers Association and others. Their starting point will have to be the separation of powers between the members council and the
’
board. The current overlap of seven provincial presidents sitting on both prevents the essential checks and balances required for good governance. It has also led to inept and confused leadership.
The provincial presidents must remain on the members
’
council only. The role of the council must be clarified, though it is essentially to oversee cricket and give strategic direction. The board is to ensure good governance and see to the proper implementation of the council s strategies by the
’
executive.
The Cricket SA executive needs to see to the operational running of cricket as directed. This is not rocket science. The
Nicholson report is a good starting point. The experts committee s proposals can
’ include a new Cricket SA board of independent directors and the composition of the Cricket SA oversight committees. These include finance, legal, transformation, cricket development, human resources and more.
Experts from professional societies and institutes should be included to bolster these critical committees.
This will ensure that good governance is monitored by knowledgeable people who show no favour.
The full proposals of the experts committee need to be made public for consultative and transparency reasons.
Importantly, the proposals should give guidance to racial and gender transformation and methods to ensure their effective implementation.
The above will lay the foundation to transform cricket throughout SA into a dynamic force, diverse yet inclusive.
Through all this upheaval, the Cricket SA executive, their managers and the Proteas
’
management need to chart the domestic and international season ahead without distractions.
Football coach Jurgen Klopp s observation about
’
soccer could apply equally here: Cricket is not something that should spread misery and hatred; cricket should be about inspiration and joy.”
Let us pray that the Cricket SA members council throws off
’
its cloak of subterfuge and selfpreservation and does its duty.