Ben Dladla: Name those implicated in CSA report
SOME representatives of Cricket South Africa’s Members Council remain unhappy that the body was not granted full access to the entire forensic audit report presented to the Council at a two-day “workshop” last weekend.
The president of KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union, Ben Dladla said the Members Council was told they couldn’t see the whole report, nor were the names of people who could face or are under investigation be revealed because of concerns about future litigation. CSA said at the weekend that the Members Council – the highest decision-making body in the organisation, which comprises the provincial presidents – were shown a summary of the forensic report. The Members Council commissioned the forensic investigation in February this year to look into maladministration and the misconduct of chief executive Thabang Moroe.
On the basis of findings contained in the report, Moroe was fired by CSA two weeks ago, with the organisation citing, “serious acts of misconduct,” as its reasons for doing so.
Dladla said that the Members Council were guided through the summary by representatives of Bowman Gilfillan, but no names were revealed. “They actually tried to avoid mentioning names of people. They said mentioning the names of people being investigated further, some might end up litigating against the organisation ... so they would talk about the topic, but try by all means to avoid mentioning any names,” said Dladla, who was in the running to be CSA president until the Annual General Meeting was postponed. Dladla said it was “definitely,” concerning that the names of people being investigated were not revealed to the Members Council. “We have given the people who are dealing with it a week or two to do all that needs to be done so whatever hasn’t been given out can be given out, so that everybody knows,” he said.
“We are not happy with the fact that some parts of the report are still not available. So for the public and even for some of us, it creates the perception that it protects some, and maybe it’s not protecting some others.”
Moroe was initially suspended, while the forensic investigation took place and Dladla explained he and some members asked why the same precedent wasn’t being used for those fingered in the report. “We did push that (the fact that Moroe was suspended) ... we said all people should be treated exactly the same if they are mentioned. So there shouldn’t be those that are like, it seems they are being protected or those where a path is followed where it says ‘lets deal with this one,’” Dladla said.
“It’s difficult for me to say they are still there (working for CSA), but one has one’s suspicions. Unfortunately if you are not given the information, you can’t put your finger on it and be brave and say ‘this is what happened.’”
The full report is understood to be 468 pages long and has caused plenty of controversy because in order to view it, representatives have to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. That includes, Sascoc, who last week said it would be establishing a task team to investigate CSA.