The Cricket South Africa members’ council on Thursday announced that it will not proceed with the appointment of an interim board.
Two weeks ago Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa announced a new board, consisting of nine members including former CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat, to temporarily take charge of proceedings at the damaged institution.
But, CSA released a new statement on Thursday afternoon stating that the members’ council, the organisation’s highest department, had written to the minister to raise its concerns about the interim board, citing a ‘breakdown in the relationship between the Members’ Council and the proposed Interim Board’.
The statement further read that the members’ council is unhappy about previous issues and the allocation of certain sets of responsibilities to some of the new board members.
According to an IOL Sport report, the council became specifically uneasy when Lorgat was proposed as the new acting CEO and Jacques Faul as company secretary.
CSA acting president Rihan Richards explained the concerns on behalf of the members’ council.
‘The Members’ Council embarked on a process last month to facilitate the resignation of the then-incumbent board members of CSA, with the intention of appointing an Interim Board that would work collaboratively with all stakeholders. The main objective of the new Interim Board was to work closely with the Members’ Council and CSA executives, to achieve necessary change within the organisation and to take cricket forward until a new board is elected at the annual general meeting.
‘During the initial consultative meetings, the Members’ Council did propose a recommended structure of the board, with certain preconditions attached to the appointment of members of the Interim Board, including having the prerequisite collective skills, professionalism and capability to comply with the legal and operational duties, at all times.
‘In a ministerial update published on 28 October 2020, the Minister confirmed the Members’ Council’s views that our engagement was constructive, and he expressed an appreciation for our leadership.
‘Importantly, the Minister also made specific reference to certain matters that the Interim Board would deal with, and the Members’ Council aligned with all of these. The Interim Board was given clearly specified roles and responsibilities, with accountability to the Members’ Council.
‘While the logical next step would have been for the Members’ Council to appoint the Interim Board, if they were nominated to the board of directors of CSA, and as outlined in the MOI of the organisation. The MOI governs the relationship between the Board and its members, as well as the roles of the Members’ Council and that of the Board.
‘Following the concerns outlined above which remained unresolved, the Members’ Council is not prepared to appoint the members of the proposed Interim Board to be directors of CSA in terms of the MOI. However, the Members’ Council will continue to work with the Minister, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and SASCOC on a collaborative basis to address and correct the ills of the past. The basis for the relationship between the parties is clearly prescribed by the law and requires mutual respect by all parties in complying with their obligations.’
