Cricket South Africa has ultimately started blaming the media for the recent negative cloud that has surrounded the organisation due to the governance mess it finds itself in.

According to Rapport, CSA acting CEO Kugandrie Govender and head of the financial committee Dheven Dharmalingam, met with a group of national players on Thursday after CSA was given a deadline by Minister of Sport Nathi Mthethwa earlier this week that the government plans to intervene with the governing body.

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Kugandrie told Rapport that some of the players were asking why the media was constantly reporting a different tune about the chaos at CSA.

In reply Kugandrie said that herself and other people at CSA started realising that all the negative reporting came from journalists, who previously applied for jobs at the governing body but were unsuccessful.

‘I also made it clear [to the players] that CSA drastically improved its financial control and that led to a change in our media strategy. The changes include that gifts and unnecessary trips for the media weren’t approved anymore,’ she said.

Kugandrie also defended the decision to not include Saca in the meeting with the group of players after the players association asked that the whole CSA Board resign given all the problems that unfolded.

‘The meeting was an internal one between employer and employee. As a result it wasn’t necessary to invite Saca to the meeting. We have a different meeting with Saca that is scheduled for this coming week.’

CSA have yet to respond the deadline that was set by Mthethwa to provide reasons as to why his government department should not intervene.

CSA have until Friday 5pm on 27 October to present representations to the minister.