Sports minister Mthethwa: Cricket SA board members resigning ‘shows progress’

Sports‚ arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa said Cricket SA’s board did the right thing by vacating their positions ahead of the Tuesday deadline by which the organisation needed to respond to the minister with regards to his intervention.

On October 14 Mthethwa served CSA with a notice to intervene in CSA’s affairs while also notifying the International Cricket Council of his intention to step in.

Subsequent to that ultimatum‚ CSA took their time to respond‚ but with the deadline looming CSA’s entire board resigned over the weekend.

Only four members remained — John Mogodi‚ Zola Thamae‚ Rihan Richards and Donovan May — with CSA saying they will help in ensuring the continuity and stability of the organisation.

In a video shot by the Eastern Cape office of the premier‚ Mthethwa said CSA had found itself in the position because of a leadership deficit that had manifested in the organisation.

“I’ve heard rumours that they’ve resigned‚ which is what they should have done. The ultimatum I put for tomorrow [Tuesday] was precisely for that. If they have done that‚ they were doing what they were supposed to do and it will take everything forward from here‚” Mthethwa said.

“We are where we are because of a lack of leadership‚ of the centre not holding at the level of cricket. If they have realised that‚ then it’s progress.”

Mthethwa said his ministry has no intention of wanting to run sporting federations‚ but is legally mandated to intervene when administrative malfeasance is present. Mthethwa said the ministry also needs to make sure that sports make the headlines on the field and not off it.

“It doesn’t prioritise sport. It doesn’t prioritise the field. It’s mainly off the field; in boardrooms‚ playing cricket in boardrooms and that’s something that’s not healthy for the sport. We want people who will take the game forward‚” Mthethwa said.

“Right from the beginning‚ we had no business running cricket or any sporting code. We want sport people and administrators to run sport. If they are engaging in misgovernance and in areas where there is a total breakdown in governance‚ we’ll have no option but to intervene.”