The resignation of the entire CSA Board is in line with the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s (Sascoc) recommendations to Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
CAPE TOWN – Cricket SA’s executive management committee will remain in position, despite the organisation’s entire board having stood down.
The executive management committee consists of acting chief executive Kugandrie Govender, director of cricket Graeme Smith, chief financial officer Pholetsi Moseki, transformation executive Max Jordaan, company secretary Welsh Gwaza and acting chief commercial officer Thami Mthembu.
After a drama-filled Sunday where six directors, which included former acting president Beresford Williams, four other non-independent members and one independent member Dheven Dharmalingam quit their respective posts, the three remaining independent directors Eugenia Kula-Ameyaw, Marius Schoeman, Vuyokazi Memani-Sedile and final non-independent Zola Thamae followed suit on Monday at the behest of the Members’ Council.
All resignations are with immediate effect except for Thamae, John Mogodi and Donovan May, who will remain as directors until the interim board structure has been appointed to ensure the continuity and stability of the organisation.
“The Members’ Council sincerely thanks every member who diligently served on the Board, and selflessly sacrificed their time for extended and often, overwhelming periods, to assist Cricket South Africa in addressing some very burdensome conditions,” said Rihan Richards, who was appointed acting president of the Members’ Council and will in accordance with the provisions of the CSA Memorandum of Incorporation, be Chairperson of the Board and thus the fourth member of the Board.
“We appreciate their commitment to cricket, and despite the turbulent economic climate, Cricket South Africa, under their leadership, received an unqualified audit for the financial year ending 30 April 2020.”
The resignation of the entire CSA Board is in line with the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s (Sascoc) recommendations to Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
It was, however, Mthethwa that ultimately set CSA a deadline – October 27 – to clean out their house to allow for an interim governance structure to be implemented. Mthethwa had also informed the International Cricket Council of the government’s intentions to intervene should CSA not comply.
Sascoc had also called for senior executive officials, most notably Govender and Gwaza to “step aside.”
Independent Media understands that Govender will, for the interim, continue to lead CSA operationally. It is believed that the Ministry fully supports her, as was stated upon her appointment in August.
“The Minister of @SportArtsCultur @NathiMthethwaSA has welcomed the appointment of Kugandrie Govender as acting Chief Executive Officer for Cricket South Africa,” the tweet from @SAgovnews read.
Mthethwa’s also released a statement from his office saying: “The appointment will certainly show an improvement in the composition of the top structure of CSA’s management” after Govender replaced Jacques Faul.
In previous parliamentary briefings Mthethwa has also questioned CSA’s commitment to transformation, and in particular the advancement of black women within the organisation’s high-level decision-making structures.
CSA have until the close of business on Tuesday to present Mthethwa with their plans for an interim steering committee in conjunction with Sascoc and Saca in a bid to avoid any government interference into their affairs.
