Courageous Govender to save CSA
Courageous Govender first acting CEO
OFTEN social media provides us with a reflection of the degenerative status of our society.
But sometimes, like in the good old days of early Twitter, it is also the platform best suited for the truth. And it is here where I stumbled upon a real gem yesterday from Sibongile Mafu, or rather @sboshmafu as she is known in the Twittersphere.
“Women CEOs being hired when organisations are already in flames is a South African love story,” Mafu tweeted to her close to 50 000 followers about Kugandrie Govender’s appointment as the first female acting chief executive of Cricket SA.
Mafu’s tweet made me question whether the CSA suits, who have bumbled along for so long, played their “glass cliff” card with Govender?
For those not familiar with the glass cliff global phenomenon, it is a twist on the “glass ceiling”, whereby women are elevated to positions of power within organisations when things are going poorly and thus face an uphill task to steady the ship. CSA is currently at its lowest ebb. It’s a sign of Govender’s courage that she has accepted the post when many would dare not.
She is suitably qualified for the post. Certainly more qualified than Thabang Moroe ever was. Govender holds a National Diploma: Public Relations and Communication Science, ND: Marketing Management and a Honours Degree in Marketing Management from IMM Graduate School, which has allowed her to accumulate the experience of a decade spent at various media organisations.
Cricket SA came under heavy criticism from parliament in June for lacking women in their top-level management structures and appearing before the sports portfolio committee with an all-male ensemble. Sports portfolio committee chair Beauty Dlulane will certainly appreciate the fact that Govender will now be at the head when Cricket SA appears again tomorrow.
But right now the focus should be on her statement yesterday.
“CSA’s mandate is to ensure that cricket is an inclusive sporting code for all South Africans. It is important to improve our reputation both locally and internationally,” Govender said upon her appointment.
“This is a critical time for our organisation and crucial for key stakeholders to work together to improve the rating of cricket among those who love, support and follow the sport and those who have trust in the sport’s ability to unify all South Africans.
“We will work hard to improve the levels of pride amongst our stakeholders and I am humbled to be a part of the collective that commits itself to ensure that CSA is a federation of which South Africans are proud.”
Govender is equally passionate in the fight against Gender-Based violence in SA and was crestfallen when her brainchild, “Black Day”, which was to be a marquee match between the Proteas and Aussie Women’s teams back in March had to be cancelled due to Covid-19.
Govender’s elevation to the top is already a game-changer in SA sport. If she manages to haul Cricket SA out of this sorry mess, she might just have saved the game we all hold dear.