Warring EPRU, Kings bosses set to face off
Daggers will be drawn when warring Isuzu Southern Kings and EP Rugby Union bosses come face-to-face at a delayed shareholders’ meeting today.
Insiders say the EPRU will demand to see the Kings’ financial statements for the past six months and will interrogate the franchise over their poor performance in the Guinness PRO14.
“The Kings have agreed to meet on Thursday and now we must finalise a venue and time.
“We are keen for this meeting to take place after an earlier one failed to get off the ground,” an insider said.
The meeting comes hot on the heels of news that Kings business consortium members Kenny Govender and Gary Markson had decided to resign.
Tensions between the Kings and their minority shareholders the EPRU reached boiling point after a shareholders’ meeting failed to materialise last month.
The row escalated after Kings deputy chair Rory Stear fired angry shots across the bow of EPRU president Andre Rademan.
This led to Rademan claiming that the Kings had “chickened
out” of the meeting after they claimed it was illegal under Covid-19 restrictions.
The Kings have been beset by problems in recent months which culminated in late salary payments in April.
Asked who would be representing the EPRU at the meeting Rademan said: “I cannot say anything ahead of the meeting.
“We have questions to ask the Kings owners and a joint statement will be made after the meeting.”
In a statement after the last meeting failed to materialise, Stear said: “I do feel it is important to put the facts about the postponed meeting and the events that led up to it to the fan base that is so crucial to our franchise.
“We, the GRC (Greatest Rugby Company) and board of the Kings, received a letter dated April 23, asking for a meeting to discuss the decision-making process at the Kings and what the Kings would do financially for EPRU.
“This letter was distributed by an individual or individuals linked to EPRU, to a plethora of politicians including the NMB municipality.
“We had been negotiating with the metro since last year for a support package for the Kings.
“Remember, they are our landlords and have a real interest in us improving and becoming a drawcard for the [Nelson Mandela] stadium.
“They called us to a meeting, with EPRU present, on April 29 to discuss the funding request.
“The sign off of this had been delayed by their receiving a copy of EP’s letter.
“It was only after this meeting that the funding was processed.
“A demand of that meeting was that we would meet.
“We agreed and the meeting was set.”
Rademan has accused the Kings’ top brass of “chickening out” of the planned earlier shareholders’ meeting.
He and seven other EPRU members had been scheduled to meet Kings chair Loyiso Dotwana and Stear.
EPRU officials have also taken umbrage at claims they tried to block an extra funding payment of R6m to the Kings to solve the cash flow crisis.
Asked if he felt the Kings had chickened out of the original meeting, Rademan said: “Yes. I do. They did not want to meet us face to face.
“When EP and the Kings met with the municipality it was agreed that the original meeting would happen within seven days,” Rademan said.
The EPRU want answers to the following questions:
The poor form of the team in the Guinness PRO14.
The struggling franchise have won only one of their opening 13 matches and have suffered heavy defeats;
The appointment of a permanent head coach.
Since the 2019 departure of Deon Davids, the Kings are yet to make a permanent appointment.
To fill the gap left by Davids, the Kings appointed Robbi Kempson as an interim head coach;
Improved alignment between the franchise and union regarding EP’s bid to gain promotion to the Currie Cup Premier Division.
It is thought EP would like to adopt a similar model to that used by the Cheetahs where the PRO14 and Currie Cup side are basically one entity;
EPRU is are also seeking improved consultation when decisions regarding the PRO14 franchise are made; and
The franchise’s inability to acquire additional sponsors.