Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has announced an interim board of the reputationally battered Cricket South Africa (CSA).
Tasked with salvaging the reputation of the organisation for the next three months are retired Justice Zak Yacoob (as Chairperson), Omphile Ramela, Judith February, Prof. Andre Odendaal, Caroline Manipuri, Dr Stavros Nicolaou, Andile Dawn Mbatha, Xolani Vonya and Haroon Lorgat.
This comes after members of the beleaguered board resigned this week following protracted governance failures that plunged the organisation into a management crisis.
Early this month, the Minister wrote to the International Cricket Council to notify the ICC of government intervention into CSA affairs, following unsuccessful engagements with the erstwhile board.
At the time, Mthethwa had given CSA until 5pm on 27 October 2020 to make written representations, should they wish to, on why he should not exercise his decision to intervene as enjoined by the laws of the country. The intervention came after a series of meetings yielded no results. Mthethwa has sent a letter to CSA Acting President Beresford Williams.
This week, the Minister said he had received a formal report confirming the resignation of the entire board of Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Monday.
Addressing reporters on Friday, Mthethwa expressed confidence that the interim board would “hit the ground running”.
“It comprises nine members as nominated by the department after being approached by a number of people from communities, the members council and CSA,” he said, adding that he expects the group to “expeditiously deal with current governance systems, structures and procedures.”
These, he said, include a proper consideration with the aim of implementation of the Nicholson report. The document, according to media reports, recommended that the majority of the members on the board should be independent and include experts from different fields.
The interim board is also expected to consider the Fundudzi report as well as its implications and consequences for CSA. The board will also be expected to take action recommended in the report. They are also expected to review all board decisions taken since 2019 as well as report decisions that require the attention of members council.
“[They] must do whatever is necessary to restore the integrity and reputation of CSA. I must emphasise the point that the members council still has an obligation to ensure that things are moving well,” said Mthethwa.
While the interim board was expected to be in place for three months, the Minister said this may be extended.
“But we think they would have delivered in that time because this is a group of people who will know exactly what to do,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
