Lorgat’s return lies at the centre of latest Cricket SA bombshell

The presence of former CEO Haroon Lorgat, whose removal in September 2017 began Cricket South Africa’s slide into chaos, looks to be the major stumbling block for the members council and the chief reason for the federation’s refusal to recognise the interim board they originally agreed to collaborate with to avoid further intervention from Minister of Sport Nathi Mthethwa.

Acting CSA president Rihan Richards tried to deny that the federation’s refusal to play ball was down to their objection to an individual, but in his other statements during a press conference on Thursday afternoon he clearly identified Lorgat as the seed of their discontent.

“The chairman of the interim board (Judge Zak Yacoob) said they should be appointed as directors on an unqualified basis or they were no longer willing to take part,” Richards said.

“We said we were not prepared to accept Haroon Lorgat as a director, but then it was not the subject of further discussion. Until this conflict of interest is resolved, which I cannot go into exact details about, we believe the interim board has no legal standing in relation to the company.

“This is not about an individual but about the manner in which our concerns have been addressed. It is almost prescriptive, and we have raised issues around other persons as well.

“There has been a breakdown in our relationship, the lines of responsibility have been blurred. This is not a U-turn on our behalf, we just want to ensure the process remains credible.”

Richards said the control of cricket now lies with the CSA members council and a small board (also including Donovan May, John Mogodi and Zola Thamae).

“This interim board was appointed by the Minister in a way that circumvented the MOI,” Richards claimed.

“We are unfairly being called obstructionist but they are not addressing our concerns. We have raised them with the Minister and they have not been addressed to our satisfaction.

“We have nothing to hide and we still want to engage all stakeholders, but it is our responsibility to ensure the game is administered to the best of ability.

“Sascoc has always been part of the process, but the manner in which they have engaged with CSA is the problem.”

Meanwhile, Yacoob pointed to the poor faith CSA’s members council has shown in first agreeing to the process before withdrawing.

“The members council, acting mainly through its acting president, has adopted the strategy to pretend to co-operate in the process but ensured that every effort was made to obstruct our work,” Yacoob said in a statement after CSA’s bombshell announcement.

“It is for this reason and only for this reason that the interim board has not been appointed. The reasons given have no substance and do not begin to stand scrutiny.”

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