Mthethwa gives Cricket SA one-week deadline to release forensic report

While Mthethwa praised CSA on Friday for the establishment of the sport’s Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) project, he also used the launch to call for the organisation to release the forensic report into alleged misconduct by fired former CEO Thabang Moroe.

Following a controversial period for the national cricket body, Mthethwa also called for the election of fresh leaders at the CSA AGM on September 5.

CSA announced that Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, a man of significant stature who had served as an acting judge and a Truth and Reconciliation commissioner, would be the ombudsman and face of SJN.

The federation also unveiled nine ambassadors who would help foster the transformation and nation-building objectives of the project in their communities – former Proteas Dinesha Devnarain, Shandre Fritz, Gary Kirsten, Lance Klusener, Marcia Letsoalo, Nulubabalo Ndzundzu, Makhaya Ntini, Geoff Toyana and Monde Zondeki – as the sport looked to address allegations that it had failed in terms of transformation.

The CSA board, however, continued to face widespread criticism after refusing to make public the forensic report which resulted in Moroe being found guilty of misconduct.

Mthethwa said in an online address that he expected the organisation to table the report when its leaders met with him next week.

“I am pleased with the move to establish the SJN project. It is a step in the right direction in the fight for transformation and they heave heard the cries of their ex-cricketers and listened to people like former president Ray Mali on how hurt he is about cricket,” Mthethwa said.

“This will fight any sort of exclusion. South Africa is so rich in talent but we are not employing our full capacity.

“But when we meet next week for me to respond to CSA’s turnaround plan and the corrective steps they are going to take for the challenges they are facing, I also expect them to share with me and government the forensic report they promised last year to show me when it was available. I look forward to that.”

Mthethwa urged CSA’s members to carefully consider their approach to upcoming elections.

“There is a cloud gripping cricket and they definitely need to make a clean move away from that,” he said.

“I would not be happy with a process that is opposed to that.”

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