Pressure mounts on CSA board to get its act together
Today could be D-Day for Cricket SA’s embattled board as a joint board and members’ council meeting could decide the future of the organisation’s defiant leadership.
With Tuesday’s deadline set by sports minister Nathi Mthethwa on October 14 with regards to CSA having to give written reasons why there shouldn’t be government intervention, the members’ council has to come to a decision that could either save or damage the organisation.
CSA’s board had two opportunities to step aside this past week. At Wednesday’s board meeting it was resolved that the six non-independents should step aside, from where the recommendation was taken to themembers’ council, which met on Thursday.
Spreading incorrect information
Though CSA issued a press release on Friday saying there were neither resignations nor resolutions at Thursday’s meeting, independent board member Dheven Dharmalingam presented his letter of resignation. CSA said he did not resign.
Dharmalingam’s phone rang unanswered on Friday but his resignation letter was widely published.
CSA acting president Beresford Williams, who is also under pressure to resign after his insulting letter of October 9 to Mthethwa that led to the notice of intervention issued the following week, told Sunday Times on Friday the media was spreading incorrect information. Williams, the longest serving non-independent board member, has been implicated twice in the Fundudzi-compiled forensic report.
He was asked to recuse himself at the October 13 parliamentary sports portfolio committee meeting, but hasn’t publicly indicated his willingness to step aside.
“Whoever’s talking to the media isn’t sharing the correct information. There wasn’t a resolution taken and there haven’t been any resignations at the same time. Dheven hasn’t resigned,” Williams said.
“A lot of things are being written about the president and cricket, but I don’t understand. There was never a resolution and Dheven hasn’t resigned.”
If the board is removed it will be in line with the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s (Sascoc) September request for CSA’s board and senior management to step aside to allow a task team to investigate CSA’s affairs stemming from the forensic report.
The six non-independent board members whose positions are in the firing line are Free State’s Zola Thamae, Eastern Province’s Donovan May, Tebogo Siko from the Northerns Cricket Union, Limpopo Cricket’s John Mogodi and Boland’s Angelo Carolissen.
Thamae said she couldn’t comment as she had a bereavement and May said he wasn’t aware of any resignations.
“I cannot comment on anything that is related to CSAat themoment. The only people who can comment are the acting president Beresford Williams and acting CEO Kugandrie Govender. I haven’t been made aware of any resolution, nor do I know about a resignation,” May said.
Mogodi, who at times has spoken on behalf of the member’s council, said he needed CSA’s permission to comment. Siko’s and Carolissen’s phones were unanswered.
The information that’s going to the media isn’t correct
Beresford Williams
CSA acting president
Case is a unique one
Today’s meeting could also have an impact on CSA’s International Cricket Council standing if the board’s non-resignations necessitate government intervention.
Article 2.4 (D) in the ICC constitution frowns upon government interference, but CSA’s case is unique where the sports ministry and Sascoc approached the ICC instead of CSA.
Mthethwa notified the ICC with regards to government interference in the event of CSA’s non-compliance.
Pressed for comment on how they will react should CSA not meet the Tuesday deadline, the ICC initially referred Sunday Times to an earlier statement, but said they will revert when there is more action.
“We don’t have any further update on this issue. Should we do, we will certainly come back to you,” an ICC spokesperson said.
The England and Wales Cricket Board, whose limited-overs tour to SA for next month was confirmed this week, also referred Sunday Times to a statement issued earlier this week.