A Cricket South Africa member’s council meeting set to take place on Thursday could decide the fate of the six non-independent board members that are currently serving on the organisation's embattled board.
TimesLIVE understands that a resolution was taken at Wednesday’s board meeting to have the non-independent board members removed‚ but the four independent board members will remain.
Those non-independent board members include under-fire acting president Beresford Williams‚ whose October 9 letter to Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa is one of the issues of contention.
The contents of the letter infuriated Mthethwa to the point where he not only issued CSA with a notice of government’s intention to intervene in the embattled organisation's matters‚ but he also gave them until October 27 to submit written representations as to why the ministry should not intervene in their affairs.
The response to the minister’s request will also be handled at this important meeting.
In the letter‚ Williams said the minister didn’t have a right to intervene in CSA’s affairs and the board will not comply with his request for them to step down.
“They are of the view (and have been advised) that you do not have power‚ in terms of the National Sport and Recreation Act 110 of 1998‚ to require members of the CSA Board to “step down”.
"Furthermore‚ we are of the view that such a requirement probably constitutes government interference in CSA’s governance‚ regulation and / or administration‚ as contemplated in the memorandum of association of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and‚ as such‚ interferes with CSA’s contractual obligations to the ICC and jeopardises CSA’s continued membership of the ICC‚” Williams said in the letter.
What could be an impediment to the removal of the non-independent board members is that the 14-person council is also made up of non-independent board members.
The same board members could still want to stay on as board members as they have the power to vote themselves to stay on the board if the numbers allow.
However‚ how that could happen also be a matter of contention as Zola Thamae from Free State and John Mogodi from Limpopo Cricket are board members‚ but are not provincial presidents (both are vice-presidents).
According to CSA’s memorandum of incorporation‚ they should not be serving on the board as their terms are linked to their provincial presidencies.
Xander Snyders was elected as Free State Cricket president to replace Thamae in July while Dawid Roodt was elected as Limpopo Cricket last month.
This means Eastern Province’s Donovan May‚ Northerns’ Tebogo Siko and Boland’s Angelo Carolissen are the only sitting provincial presidents serving on CSA’s board.
Williams‚ who is originally from Western Province‚ relinquished his voting right on the member’s council when he became vice-president in 2019.
He replaced Chris Nenzani as president when he abruptly resigned in August.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 