CSA’s moment of truth arrives

Williams says he wants to help the organisation put its torrid past behind it

● Cricket SA’s acting president, Beresford Williams, one of four nominees for the organisation’s presidency at Saturday’s annual meeting, said he has accepted responsibility for CSA’s current problems.

He’s up against Donovan May (Eastern Province), Ben Dladla (KwaZulu-Natal) and Tebogo Siko (Northerns).

Williams, who has been on CSA’s board since 2013 and replaced now fired CEO Thabang Moroe as vice-president last year, said he was in a position to help the beleaguered organisation move past the Moroe matter.

Moroe, suspended as CEO, was fired on Thursday after a nine-month long disciplinary process that not only dragged CSA’s reputation through the mud, but also spotlighted the board’s missing governance checks and balances.

“I accept responsibility for what has happened and I’ll use my experience to forge meaningful change. We were dealing with a number of matters, some were held up due to processes or investigation, but when the opportunity came, we acted and continued to act in the best interests of the organisation and the game,” Williams said.

“That [Moroe] matter has been concluded. We provided fair opportunity for him to participate. There were a number of opportunities for him to participate in the process. Unfortunately, he didn’t take it and the board had to act in the best interest of all parties and the matter was concluded.”

Williams, who is from Western Province Cricket, was implicated in an alleged conflict of interest with regards to the Newlands cricket stadium construction project.

CSA confirmed Williams’s conflict of interest was part of the yet to be seen forensic report.

Williams said he has not seen the report that could be presented to sports minister Nathi Mthethwa this week.

However, Williams said the matter did not affect his eligibility as president.

“That conflict of interest allegation has been raised. I’ve communicated that I’m open to scrutiny, made full disclosure on the matter whenever it came up, and the board and the members council know about it. I don’t believe I acted in a way that made me ineligible and unavailable,” Williams said.

“I haven’t seen the report as the acting president, nor has the board received it in its entirety. We are engaging on the matter and we’ll meet with the minister. The report hasn’t been seen by the board, but my understanding is that the minister could receive the report.”

While attempts to contact Siko drew a blank, Dladla, who saiP d Rhe was a “listening unifier”, said CSA needed to be truthful.

Dladla is the only nominee of the four who has not served on the board.

“Without speaking ill of the past, one of CSA’s weaknesses was the truth not being told and information was being hidden.

Once information is out, it helps you deal with the problem, but if it’s hidden, it’s not being dealt with. Being truthful comes with the benefit of people coming with suggestions and good counsel,” Dladla said.

“When everything is in the open, it makes us act. Right now, nothing [with the report] has been issued, so what happens to us? There’s nothing we can do. Once the report is out, we have to act because it’ll come with some recommendations and act on them. We must do everything within the confines of the law. If it implicates some of us or some of the people, those people need to be given the right of reply.”

May said his salvage experiences with EP cricket have set him up well for CSA’s presidency.

“I know what crisis management is during my time as EP Cricket president. In 2013 EP Cricket was put under administration by CSA. The union had no money in the bank and was in debt. I helped stabilise the company through restructuring and key appointments. In my view, EP is one of the best managed affiliates. I’m also good with relationship building and I understand transformation and importance,” May said.

“I can do the job. It’s time for me to move onto another level as the president. I believe the challenges CSA are facing have built up through a number of years. It’s unfortunate that everything boiled up until last year and people think the board is incompetent.”

CSA’s messy affiliates have also given them little leadership leeway.

North West Cricket was put under administration in 2018. It has been urging CSA to release a Deloitte report that could allow it to operate normally.

Western Province, which was put under administration by CSA last year, is operating with an acting president in Ashraf Burns and acting CEO Albertus Kennedy.

Border Cricket president Simphiwe Ndzundzu, who has been nominated to join the board if elected, has been accused of assault, an accusation he has denied.

We acted ... in the best interests of the organisation and the game Beresford Williams Candidate for CSA president