Cricket South Africa has officially confirmed that assistant coach Enoch Nkwe resigned after raising concerns about the functioning and culture of the Proteas team environment.

This bombshell news was first reported exclusively by TimesLive on Monday, with sources claiming Nkwe had resigned amid allegations that he felt he had been reduced to being a ‘cones boy’ in a toxic working environment.

The Cricket South Africa (CSA) board asked the assistant coach to reconsider and opened up discussions after receiving his resignation letter, but it was confirmed on Wednesday that he would be stepping down.

“While every effort was made to retain his services, Enoch has decided to focus on personal growth and professional development,” a statement read.

“This affords him the opportunity to return to the system in the future with a better sense of himself and being certain of the direction of his career. He has emphasised his unwavering commitment to SA cricket and especially the men’s team as they embark on a key tour to Sri Lanka in preparation for the T20 World Cup in October.

“The board engaged with Enoch to explore whether there was a way to retain his services but this was unsuccessful. During these discussions he also raised concerns about the functioning and culture of the team environment.

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“The board will be taking the necessary steps to investigate and address the issues raised by Enoch. We will not be commenting further on this until the process has been completed.

“Enoch has been involved in SA cricket for close to two decades both as a player and coach, playing for Gauteng and Highveld Lions and later joining the Gauteng Lions as head coach.

“The board has mandated the acting CEO, Pholetsi Moseki, to oversee a process to urgently find a replacement for Enoch ahead of the T20 World Cup.

CSA board chair Lawson Naidoo added: “It is deeply disappointing to lose someone of Enoch’s calibre at this time, but we fully understand and respect his decision. We are comforted by the fact that he remains committed to SA cricket, and hope that he will be back serving the game that we all love. He has been and continues to be an inspiration to young cricketers and coaches.”