How and why did the relationship between the CSA board and [former chief executive] Haroon Lorgat break down?
In as much as one would love to give details on these issues, one has to respect the fact that this is an employment relationship and this is not something that took place yesterday. It has been brewing for quite some time.
I had been trying my best to restore this relationship. On a number of occasions we tried to find a workable solution, understanding that the beneficiary should be the organisation.
We came to a stage where we realised if we don't sort out this thing, it's going to do more damage to the organisation.
It was an issue of finding a way to function in an environment where there's tension, a level of mistrust and not understanding how we can rebuild this relationship. It was a fantastic relationship and a lot of good came through it, hence we felt the need to separate on an amicable basis.
What is it that Haroon said or did to the board that soured relations to a point where a working relationship was no longer possible?
It wouldn't be wise for me to go into those issues. We're dealing here with somebody's right and we don't want to create an impression of there having been a witch-hunt or irresponsible conduct. We disagreed on important matters and felt we could go our separate ways so that we don't harm the organisation.
There are a lot of things written where people have taken their own cues in terms of what happened, the broadcast rights being an example. I hope people will understand we wouldn't have taken such a decision lightly. We had to take a number of things into consideration to ensure this was a decision we could justify.
Why is the settlement with Lorgat taking so long?
That is legislated environment that's directed by the Labour Relations Act. Lorgat's contract ought to have expired on July 31 2019. When we say we're separating amicably, we're in a middle-ground situation and the contract would say if the CEO has to leave, they'd have to work a three-month notice period. One has to work within the legislated framework and I hope at a certain point we'll reach an agreement on issues and move our separate ways.
Was there an expectation on Lorgat to find an alternative broadcaster for the T20 Global League?
That wouldn't necessarily be an expectation but a possibility and it might become a possibility. You can't constrain somebody and say go look for something, but you always want to start with the people you've worked with.
Given the South African environment, if you're looking for a sub-Saharan broadcaster for southern Africa, you can't look beyond SuperSport. They have to be the first port of call. If there's no agreement, then you have to look elsewhere.
Who will take charge of the T20GL and what are the challenges that face the said person?
The acting CEO [Thabang Moroe] will take charge of the company, operations and put in his own team. He's not going to reinvent the wheel because there's work that's been done and the league has to be delivered. We're not going to have a special somebody come out of the blue and make magic.
Our resources in the organisation must make magic. The challenge facing the acting CEO is how the league must be delivered in the way we envisioned it and the issues that need to be tied up like the broadcasting and the marketing of the teams.
When will the search for a new chief executive begin?
We are not talking about that at the moment. We've deployed the vice-president to executive management until further notice.
The focus is now on what's needed to be done for CSA and make sure we have the comfort of stability and the comfort of having found objectives to the issues that face us. It's not an urgent issue, but it will be addressed.
What's the financial expectation from the T20GL now that the tournament has found a broadcaster, albeit at a lower price?
We can't begin to anticipate when it comes to negotiations because today you are here and tomorrow you are elsewhere. When there is credible information, it will be relayed but what we won't do is to chase rumour-mongering in the media.
People are interested in seeing this work and they have their own ideas but we have to communicate certainties.
How has the relationship with SuperSport been patched up?
We've had this relationship for a long time and relationships go through ups and downs. This is an important relationship for us and we have to do everything to build on that relationship so that it works for us, for SuperSport and for the country.
It's a matter of looking at how we maintain an excellent working relationship.
What kind of impact will the T20GL have on CSA's finances even through the bumper summer that includes tours of India and Australia that will significantly boost CSA's coffers?
The message we conveyed at this year's annual general meeting was that there will come a time where we don't have to necessarily rely on income from bilateral tours. We have to make alternatives and T20 cricket grabs a lot of interest.
We hope at some point we will be in a position where we can generate the kind of revenue that will sustain our organisation regardless of bilateral tours so we can deliver on our development mandate.
What is the final consensus on the four-day test and what's your reaction since certain senior players expressed their unhappiness on the matter?
I've been briefed that the players understand and they are willing to play. I'm not sure why they would have been unhappy but it also depends on the International Cricket Council's approval. We need to look at all these possibilities, especially the notion of a day-night test. When it was mooted it seemed to be an impossibility and now it's happening.
The notion of a four-day test seems to be an impossibility but we'll be guided by the ICC [International Cricket Council] pronouncement on this issue.
There's also work done at the ICC that also makes sure there is context to bilateral series to make them attractive and the protection of test cricket.
My view has always been simple when it comes to this matter and something very personal to me: I'd rather lose one day of test cricket than lose the entire five days.
If we don't do anything about that it could become a reality...