Cricket in SA is ‘at war with itself’ – players’ union

The leadership of Cricket South Africa has taken the game to the brink of “total collapse”, according to SA Cricketers’ Association (Saca) president Omphile Ramela, who has called for intervention at board and management level.

On the same day that CSA announced chief commercial officer Kugandrie Govender as the new acting chief executive, following the immediate resignation of Jacques Faul earlier in the week, the players’ union issued a statement slamming the organisation for ignoring various issues which allegedly threatened the future of the game.

“Instead of facing these crises, CSA is embroiled in destructive politics at board and management level,” Ramela said.

“It is evident that cricket is unable to self-correct. With the CSA AGM looming (next month), the reality is that many of the administrative challenges confronting the game are as a result of administrators failing to adhere to principles of corporate governance.

“A number of affiliates have crises of their own, and it is these structures that provide leadership to CSA.

“Before we see the total collapse of the game of cricket there needs to be a leadership intervention at board and management level that is able to stabilise and transform both the game and the business of cricket.”

Saca said the troubles facing CSA had reached a point where the players felt their livelihood as professional cricketers was being threatened.

“The sudden resignation of both the president (Chris Nenzani) and acting CEO is clear evidence that cricket in South Africa is at war with itself,” said Andrew Breetzke, CEO of the players’ union.

“Mr Nenzani owes all stakeholders an immediate explanation as to why he has stood down a mere three weeks before the CSA AGM, after he had refused to do so over the previous eight-month period despite calls to do so from key stakeholders within the game.

“Together with the sudden resignation of Dr Jacques Faul as acting CEO, one can only deduce that the board of directors has yet again reached a level of dysfunctionality that threatens the existence of the game in our country.”

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