Northerns back independent board, but ...

WHILE five provincial unions have given firm backing for the creation of a Board of Directors at Cricket South Africa that is primarily made up of independent officials with an independent chair, the Northerns Cricket Union yesterday sought to walk a fine line in which it tried to satisfy everyone.

That may seem diplomatic but it is also confusing.

The NCU released a statement yesterday indicating its support for a majority independent board with an independent chair, but that the latter has to “be someone with the skill and experience to lead CSA”.

The Northerns union also proposed that a former international player serve as an independent director, while two of the other independents had to have served in sporting structures.

Quite how those requests will go down remains to be seen.

As of yesterday afternoon, Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa was still considering CSA’s Members Council’s reply to his decision to invoke Section 13 of the National Sports and Recreation Act, which could see CSA removed as the governing authority of the sport.

Mthethwa made it abundantly clear during an appearance on Robert Marawa’s radio show on Tuesday evening that he would not be budging on the need to implement the recommendations of the Nicholson Report.

He also reiterated the stance he made at last Saturday’s special meeting with the Members Council, that he didn’t appreciate the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) trying to involve itself in the CSA administrative crisis at the 11th hour.

“It was clear that Saturday’s attempt was to try and present Sascoc as a paragon of correctness and uprightness, which they are not,” said Mthethwa.

Northerns again raised the issue of Sascoc having the ability to suspend CSA, stating it had sought legal advice that had indicated the issues with Sascoc needed to be addressed.

The NCU called for an indaba to resolve the impasse, although what good that would do at this stage, given all the work done by Mthethwa’s office and CSA’s Interim Board, is anyone’s guess.

While Northerns sought to adopt what can be viewed as a neutral stance, the Mpumalanga Cricket Union joined Free State, Central Gauteng, North West and Easterns in giving its unequivocal backing to the Interim Board and the administrative reforms that need to be implemented.

“We are aware of the requirements as set out by the Nicholson Report and fully support them,” the MCU said in a statement.

Meanwhile, CSA also announced yesterday that it had settled employee disputes with former chief operating officer Naasei Appiah and former finance manager Ziyanda Nkuta.

Through mutual agreement, CSA also terminated the services of human resources service provider People Link.

All three settlements are confidential.