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Beresford Williams, CSA Acting President.
(Images by Johan Rynners / Gallo)
SPORT
Cricket SA (CSA) board members appear to be preparing for a fight after the board of members passed a resolution for the board to resign on Thursday.
Board members Marius Schoeman, an independent director, and Donovan May from the Eastern Province are known to be reluctant to resign, their stubbornness plunging the sport into a weekend of turmoil ahead of a possible ministerial intervention at the close of Tuesday’s activities.
Welsh Gwaza, CSA’s company secretary, also appears to be offering board members legal advice not to move, according to City Press’s sister newspaper Rapport.
“I don’t think the board is going anywhere anytime soon,” said a source. “It is a profane disaster.”
Adding credibility to the idea that board members are digging trenches and fixing proverbial bayonets, Acting President Beresford Williams said yesterday that, as far as he is concerned, “the council of members did not pass any resolution on Thursday.”
Williams’ statement was part of a broader wave of confusion, with independent director Dheven Dharmalingham appearing to resign on Friday, only to be contradicted by a statement from the CSA saying that Dharmalingham “had indicated a willingness to resign” but , actually, no, done.
The council of members is scheduled to meet today at 9 am to discuss the board’s response to the request that they step aside.
If the board does not respond, or responds through a legal challenge, this would simply increase the possibility of ministerial intervention.
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa signaled his intention to intervene in CSA affairs two weeks ago.
If they wanted to represent Mthethwa from intervening, they were free to do so, but if he did not hear from them, he would step in to handle their day-to-day affairs on Tuesday.
Nathi Mthethwa, Minister of Sport, Art and Culture. Photo: Archive
The resolution of the council of members on Thursday night was widely seen as a means to avoid ministerial intervention, although if the board stays put, the minister would have no alternative but to intervene.
Read: CSA’s response to Mthethwa will show its true colors
This could attract the attention of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The current crisis is not the only item on the agenda for this morning’s meeting.
Also being discussed is an amendment to the CSA constitution, called the memorandum of incorporation in cricket parlance, which currently allows people to sit on the board and the council of members simultaneously.
Williams is one of those people, like May, who withdrew from Thursday night’s council meeting because they wear two hats.
“The initial proposal of the board [at Wednesday’s board meeting] it was that only non-independents step aside, “said someone who is on the council of members.
But that was rejected by the council on Thursday. We wanted a committee of, say, six people to take over a full board resignation with the game running in the meantime, made up of one former player, one ICC appointee, and two Sascoc appointments. [SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee].
“It would only be for six weeks anyway, because we have to have elections by December 5, which is the last we can have. [this year’s] annual general meeting. “
Read: CSA board defends itself
While there has been a chorus of disapproval against asking the board to resign from the South African Players Association, the cricket fraternity, the minister and sponsors, there is also a fear that the council of members has made a mistake. of procedure in its resolution.
“I don’t think the application meets the minimum legal requirements,” said a source.
“You have to give them the reasons why they should go and give them a right to reply within 14 to 21 days. That was not done. “
Although Williams questioned the resolution of the member council, however, he underscored his commitment to doing the right thing and said he would go if necessary.
“I will always act in the best interest of cricket, without question.”
Williams said a board statement on the chaos was imminent, though he couldn’t say exactly when it would be.
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