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Thabang Moroe with Koketso Gaofetoge.
(Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images)
- Fundudzi’s full report found former CSA CEO Thabang Moroe responsible for the banning of five sports journalists last year.
- CSA’s interim board released the full report on Wednesday unexpectedly, after months of secrecy.
- There was latent discontent within CSA over the negative reporting, from the board level to the executive and managerial levels.
According to the full Fundudzi Forensic Services report released by Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Wednesday, former CEO Thabang Moroe “instructed” communications officers Thamsanqa Mthembu and Koketso Gaofetoge to revoke the media accreditation of five journalists last year. .
Fundudzi was assigned the task, among seven important items in the scope of his investigations, to solve the “who did it” of the media recall saga that led to Moroe’s suspension in December, which had a domino effect. throughout the cricket organization.
The five journalists were Firdose Moonda, Telford Vice, Ken Borland, Neil Manthorp and Stuart Hess.
READ | Fundudzi’s full report is finally published
The issue of the banning of journalists is extensively covered in the report.
No fewer than 20 pages are devoted to the events that led to, including, and the ramifications of the withdrawal of the media accreditation of the five scribes.
Clearly, there was simmering organizational unhappiness over the perceived negative reports the organization was receiving from the press, more specifically from the aforementioned writers.
Former CSA President Chris Nenzani, Moroe and current Acting CEO Kugandrie Govender expressed a level of concern and discussed reporting on the organization. They were also said to be unhappy that CSA allegedly did not receive a fair response to the stories posted.
Nenzani and Moroe allegedly wanted “severe measures” taken against “Macavelian” (Machiavellian) journalism. As to what that severe action was, it is not specified in the report.
However, Mthembu and Gaofetoge’s versions of events were that Moroe had continually asked them, inside and outside the meetings, about when they were revoking the journalists’ accreditations.
“Mthembu indicated that he learned that the issue of revoking media accreditation was discussed at CSA EXCO before joining CSA,” the Fundudzi report says.
“Mthembu indicated that Govender informed him that Moroe previously asked him to revoke the accreditation of certain journalists Moroe had identified.
“Govender indicated that during a CSA EXCO meeting raising the issue of negative media reports, Moroe indicated that CSA should consider ‘closing our house.’
Govender, however, disputed Mthembu’s claims that Moroe asked him to revoke the accreditation of the journalists.
Mthembu, the then communications chief, and Gaofetoge, who served as media chief for a period, were said to have advised Moroe not to revoke the accreditation of journalists at executive council meetings (whose records could not be established) .
Despite that, Fundudzi found that Mthembu played a heavy hand and made the decisive communication that resulted in subordinates within the media department Gaofetoge and Sipokazi Sokanyile acting on his instructions.
Two days before November 25, the final ban of the five, Mthembu sent a decision WhatsApp Text message to Sokanyile, Fundudzi said, in which he said he “received a nod from the chief executive (Moroe) to withdraw membership” from the five journalists.
Mthembu wrote:
“I urgently need your (Sokanyile’s) opinion on a unit I need for my EXCO meeting on Monday. Can you develop a new list of journalists that we can invite to a press conference, games, and other future CSA activities?
“I’m looking for black, Indian, and black journalists, including some white journalists that you propose that we work with in the future. I received a nod from the CEO to withdraw membership from the people we spoke to yesterday.
“For the English tour, make sure right away that Firdose Moonda, Telford Vice, Stuart Hess and Ken Borland do not receive an invitation from CS and that their accreditation is revoked. If there are any other journalists who think they should make the list, then I suggest you add them to my list. Keep this confidential for now. “
Subsequently, Sokanyile presented him with an alternative course of action, which included documented face-to-face meetings with the “problem” journalists, with a mediator.
If that fails, only then send complaint letters to your editors, write to the Press Advocate, and suspend special privileges or revoke accreditation.
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Despite that, Mthembu wrote to Sokanyile and Gaofetoge saying: “Spokie and KK, I am sending this to you for action. Please unregister all the people we have spoken about. They must not be part of any planned future engagements. of CSA “.
On November 25, 2019, Gaofetoge, following Mthembu’s documented directive, wrote to CSA ticketing officer Daryl Barrufol, instructing him to revoke the accreditation of the five journalists.
Screenshots of WhatsApp group messages that former human resources consultant Chantel Moon shared with Fundudzi researchers show that Mthembu was acting under Moroe’s instructions.
As such, Fundudzi found that:
- Mthembu and Gaofetoge revoked the accreditation of the five aforementioned journalists on November 25, 2019 on Moroe’s instructions.
- By revoking the media accreditation of the five journalists, Moroe did not promote or protect the interests, activities and welfare of CSA in contravention of clause 4.1 of their employment contract.
- Moroe did not act in the best interest of CSA in contravention of section 76 (3) (b) of the Companies Act to revoke or have the media accreditation of the five journalists, whose conduct resulted in that sponsors raise serious concerns and reservations.
- Gaofetoge asked Daryl Baruffol to inform the respective managers of the cricket field about the revocation of the media accreditation of the five journalists.
- Gaofetoge reinstated the accreditation of the five journalists on December 2, 2019, following the onslaught from the media and concerns raised on social media.
- Various backers including Standard Bank, Momentum, Sunfoil, KFC expressed dissatisfaction with the way CSA handled the revocation of the media accreditation of the five journalists.
- Revocation of the journalist’s media accreditation denigrated or damaged the public image (reputation) of Cricket or CSA in violation of clause 2.1 of the CSA Code of Conduct.
- The revoking of the journalist’s press accreditation discredited the CSA name with several sponsors voicing concerns about developments at CSA.
- The revocation of media accreditation was not sanctioned by the Board nor was it debated at the Board level prior to its implementation.
Moroe eventually apologized to the five journalists and issued a public apology, following public reaction to the decision, criticism from the media in general, and sponsors’ dismay at the bad publicity.
