Speech by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Hon AND Mthethwa, during the press release on ministerial interventions at Cricket SA
Ladies and gentlemen,
As you may know, following the continuing public criticism of how Cricket SA does business, especially in the areas of leadership, government, transformation, team selection, from various interest groups inside and outside cricket, I have been asked step in and help Cricket SA solve their problems.
Without rediscovering the past, it is common knowledge that I have made some efforts in meetings with their Board and Members, to encourage Cricket SA to predict any action on my part by showing that they have the ability , will and desire to be self-correct. My efforts include an appeal to SASCOC, as the parent body of all national federations in the country, to try to help Cricket SA find solutions to the problems they are experiencing.
While all this is happening, CSA’s reputation has continued to falter with increasing calls for the board to resign. For my part, I felt I had to exercise all the patience I could muster. I have even been criticized for not doing anything to confront the deteriorating situation in cricket. Instead of improving, however, the situation got worse, and it dawned on me that no matter how long I slowed down, the prospect of the sport to correct itself was poor.
When I finally decided it was time to intervene, I considered it advisable to notify the ICC of my intended intervention. I also thought I should give the CSA another chance to imagine why I should not intervene.
In the interim, I heard that the board had resigned and CSA subsequently succeeded in submitting constructive proposals to me, to which I focused my thoughts and agreed to enter into discussions with them on a collaborative path that would replace would replace the board that would resign. with an interim board consisting of 9 members nominated by ourselves, the members board and the SA Cricketers’ Association.
The Interim Board, which reports to the Board of Members, will provide the basis for a speedy handling of current governance systems, structures and procedures, including the Nicholson recommendations; to consider the Fundudzi report, its implications and implications for CSA, and to take the steps recommended in the report, or steps deemed appropriate by the interim board; review all management decisions taken since 2019 and report on the decisions required by the members of the Board and to take in general what is necessary and appropriate to restore the integrity and reputation of CSA.
The interim board is expected to exist for an initial period of up to 3 months, which may be extended based on progress.
As for the structure of the Interim Board, I was guided by the Nicholson recommendations regarding a modest Board of 9 members, elected on the basis of expertise and integrity, the majority of which will be independent directors, about 2/3 enjoying support of affiliates.
The team consists of a mix of men and women with a variety of skills in the areas of, among others, law, management, business and international relations. The Board also contains nominees who have been received from members of the community, the Board of Members and the SA Cricket Association.
It gives me great pleasure to announce the following names: –
Judge Zak Yacoob (Chairman)
Mr Omphile Ramela
Me Judith February
Professor Andre Odendaal
Me Nkeko Caroline Mampuru
Dr Stavros Nicolaou
Me Andile Dawn Mbatha
Mr Haroon Lorgat
Mr Peter Xolani Vonya
Wish the team well with their mission to restore the good name of cricket in this country.