CSA’s Members Council gives recently named interim board the ‘boot’

Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) Members Council on Thursday announced that it will not be appointing the Interim Board.

Following various engagements and a meeting on Sunday, 8 November between the Members Council, the proposed Interim Board of CSA, Minister Nathi Mthethwa, and members of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the Members Council have written to the Minister to raise material concerns about the proposed Interim Board.

Matters include: Several unresolved issues, overstepping and disregarding agreed upon duties, responsibilities and lines of accountability, and ultimately, a breakdown in the relationship between the Members Council and the proposed Interim Board.

Notwithstanding its decision not to appoint the Interim Board, the Members Council said it remains deeply committed to resolving the issues that have surfaced within CSA, and will take the necessary steps to ensure that the concerns, which Minister Mthethwa and SASCOC have previously raised, are addressed efficiently and professionally.

Rihan Richards, Acting President of CSA on behalf of the Members Council, said: “The Members Council embarked on a process last month to facilitate the resignation of the then-incumbent board members of CSA, with the intention of appointing an Interim Board that would work collaboratively with all stakeholders.

“The main objective of the new Interim Board was to work closely with the Members Council and CSA executives, to achieve necessary change within the organisation and to take cricket forward until a new board is elected at the annual general meeting.”

In accordance with the rights afforded to the Members Council by CSA’s Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI), certain individuals remained on the board of CSA until the formal appointment of a Board of Directors.

Despite CSA and the Members’ Council’s attempts to constructively engage members of the proposed Interim Board, unresolved matters include:

• A conflict of interest relating to a proposed member of the Interim Board;
• Opposition to outlined roles, responsibilities and reporting lines as outlined in the MOI;
• Unprofessional conduct;
• Non-cooperation;
• And misalignment between the Members Council and the Interim Board, remained contrary to the arrangements agreed to by the parties.

Had such a relationship continued, CSA would have failed to ensure that it acts in the public interest at all times as these concerns severely reduced our focus on our key business, the development of cricket.

“As the Members Council of CSA, we have a responsibility to ensure compliance with legal and corporate governance requirements in the administration of cricket and the organisation, and a duty to cricket supporters to uplift and develop the game. We further also have a duty to the International Cricket Council (ICC) in terms of its articles of association,” continued Richards.

As the propositioned Interim Board has not been appointed as directors of CSA, they have no legal standing in relation to the company. The Interim Board has therefore been requested not to continue representing themselves as representative of CSA as they have no such authority and it is our expectation that they will not continue to do so.”

Meanwhile, the Interim Board confirmed they’d received a letter from the Members Council on Wednesday where, among other matters, they’d raised concerns about new board member Haroon Lorgat.

“Regrettably, by refusing to confirm our mandate, the Members’ Council has shown itself unwilling to co-operate with this independent Board. We are of the view that the Members’ Council has acted in bad faith and contrary to the consensus it reached with minister Mthethwa at the end of October.

“In its communication, the Members’ Council requested the Board ‘to cease engagement with or participation in the CSA operations, as well as cease to engage in any forum as representatives of CSA.

“The current situation is untenable and we are thus dismayed to be in receipt of what we can only describe as an obstructionist, legalistic letter from the Members’ Council while we have tried to put structures in place and hold individuals within CSA to account. We are of the view that the conduct of the Members’ Council is an attempt to stymie the work of our Board.”

More to follow…

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