CSA had an emergency members council meeting on Tuesday while a delegation
was being grilled by the members of the portfolio on the organisation’s
failure to avail unrestricted access to the forensic investigation report.
So tense were the proceedings that independent board member Marius
Schoeman‚ who chairs the audit and risk committee that is responsible for
the dissemination of the forensic report‚ told members of parliament that
he would resign should CSA fail to hand over the full report by Friday.
“If CSA does not submit the forensic report by end of business on Friday‚ I
will resign‚” committed Schoeman in parliament.
“I will not allow anything (in the report) to be omitted.”
Schoeman was asked by the committee members why he did not resign along
with other board members who quit CSA late last year as the organisation
latched from one governance bungle to the other.
Schoeman said decided against resigning as he wanted to leave CSA in a
better position than he found it when he appointed to the embattled
organisation.
“The reason why I did not resign‚ why am I staying‚ if other
non-independent [did]‚ why did I not resign?
“I was appointed through a very rigours process‚ to leave CSA where it is
would not be in my nature‚ and I will not do that.
“If the members council‚ who have elected me‚ want to remove me I will
accept that‚” said Schoeman.
CSA acting president Beresford Williams also committed to handing the
forensic report on Friday.
“On behalf of CSA I just want to recommit that we will deliver on our
promise‚” he said.
“Thanks to everyone for the contribution.
“We will make the full report available as committed [on Tuesday].”
CSA handed over the full report to sports minister Nathi Mthethwa with no
conditions‚ but the organisation wants Sascoc‚ the controlling body of
sports federations in the country‚ to sign a non-disclosure agreement
before gaining unrestricted access to the document.
Sascoc deputy president and Athletics South Africa boss Aleck Skhosana
called on CSA to stop playing games.
“What CSA is saying (about the unrestricted release of the forensic report)
is very concerning‚” Skhosana told the members of parliament.
“They are playing the same game which they played with the Sascoc board.
“They promised without delivering the very same report. I am learning that
there are two members that are implicated in reports‚ including acting
president Beresford Williams.
“We want unrestricted access to the full report‚ not what is being
distributed through the media.
“CSA is a public entity.”
Schoeman said CSA needed to go back and see how to protect the
organisation’s image before they release the full report.
“Why must they go back and try and hide things or protect themselves
first?”‚ asked the DA’s Tsopo Mhlongo.
Ringo Madlingozi from the EFF said: “I believe the report should be sent to
us as soon as possible‚ even now‚ because the report is ready and sitting
somewhere.”
Almost all the portfolio committee members registered their discomfort in
allowing CSA to go back before being invited again to present the full
unedited forensic report.
CSA independent board member Dheven Dharmalingam‚ who was appointed in May‚
said he understood the frustrations of the committee members.
“In terms of my role I chair the finance committee. There are only two
things from me. The first one is in terms of this forensic report‚ I
understand the frustration the members are expressing‚” said Dharmalingam.
“From my perspective the first draft was received by the committee on July
31.
“It is a complex report‚ one of our fellow directors‚ three of us‚ given
the mandate to go through this upfront.
“I have got no allegiance to any single member on the board or any cricket
structure. So I speak with complete independence.
“The real issue are the people who are mentioned in the report‚ not that
they are guilty but the way they have been mentioned is problematic.
“This needs to be done through a proper legal process. That’s from my
perspective‚” said Dharmalingam.
Sascoc board member Cecilia Molokwane said CSA wants to govern and regulate
itself.
“As Sascoc we have taken a board resolution which is not far away from the
one that has been taken today (that they need unrestricted access to the
full forensic report).
“CSA does not want to follow protocol. They choose who to engage with. They
have given the minister the full report but not to us as the controlling
body.”
Image (Cecelia Molokwane- Netball SA President and Sascoc board member has
harsh words for Cricket).
