JOHANNESBURG - Cricket South Africa’s Members Council refuses to change the organisation’s administrative structure putting it at loggerheads with the Interim Board and by extension the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.
With about a month to go until the long delayed Annual General Meeting takes place, the Members Council - the highest decision making body in CSA, made up of the provincial presidents - and the Interim Board, appointed by Minister Nathi Mthethwa last October, met Tuesday evening to continue discussions about implementing the recommendations that will lead to an increased - and specifically majority - independent element on the new Board. However no agreement was reached.
The Interim Board’s mandate includes ensuring the recommendations of the Nicholson Commission - which took place 10 years ago - are implemented. One of the most important parts of those recommendations relates to more independent directors being appointed to the board.
ALSO READ: Given a second innings, CSA must take advantage and come good
“There was disagreement between the Interim Board and Members’ Council specifically on the concept of having a majority independent Board,” read a statement released by CSA on Thursday.
“Arguably, cricket finds itself in the current quagmire of dysfunction because of a lack of independence of the Board.”
“At the joint meeting, the Interim Board and the Members’ Council discussed, inter alia, the composition of a future Board. A non-negotiable principle for the Interim Board is that any future Board is constituted of a majority of independent members. This is a universally accepted principle of good corporate governance and best practice not only in South Africa but around the world.”
“The Interim Board, therefore, stresses that cricket cannot afford to retain its governance status quo.”
ALSO READ: Given a second innings, CSA must take advantage and come good
The Members Council and Interim Board will meet again on Saturday, where the Members Council, having agreed on Tuesday to reconsider its position, will inform the Interim Board of its stance.
The changes to CSA’s administrative structure come in the wake of the meltdown which occurred at that organisation at the end of 2019. That led to a forensic investigation, numerous appearances before parliament, the axing of Thabang Moroe as CEO and a number of different people being president of the organisation.
Ten years ago, when considering Nicholson’s recommendations, CSA fudged the full implementation thereof, following guidance from the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee that ‘sport should be run by sport people.’ Sascoc’s own dysfunctionality led to it going through a commission of inquiry two years ago.
@shockerhess