This meeting was held against the backdrop of the envisaged Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for 17 April 2021. This is where a final report on the nine points contained in the Minister’s mandate to the Interim Board is expected to be tabled.
Despite clarification on some misinterpretations and being provided with cricket best practice elsewhere in the world, the Members Council still clung to the 2013 CSA stance of “cricket needing to be run by cricket people”.
Amongst the points of clarification were the fact that “independent” does not necessarily translate to “cricket illiteracy” and a “majority of independents over non-independents can be anything from 51% to 49%.
In an extraordinary demonstration of patience, Minister Mthethwa said, “it is important not to allow boardroom disputes to trump player welfare. I am being dared to take executive action. In my opinion, it is clear that the court of public opinion shows no appetite for any unnecessary delays and own-goals, especially at a time when sponsors have demonstrated unbelievable loyalty and patience.”
Minister Mthethwa ended the meeting by affording the leaders of the Members Council and Interim Board delegations a further week to engage and find common ground.
