Cape Town – Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa met with the leadership of the embattled Cricket South Africa (CSA) this week.
CSA’s leadership issues have been widely publicised over the past few weeks with the now-suspended CEO Thabang Moroe held accountable.
TIMELINE | CSA’s troubled times under Moroe leadership
Last week it was confirmed that the CSA board – including its president Chris Nenzani – would remain in their roles despite the governance crisis.
This led to outrage from the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA), the Central Gauteng Lions Cricket Board and also sponsors Momentum.
The leadership of CSA included council members and the board of CSA led by Nenzani.
According to a press release from the sports department, CSA presented the minister with an overview and the financial status of South African cricket.
The statement said Mthethwa “impressed” with the “leadership of CSA” who provided the minister with “details of actions in the roadmap as well as clear timelines and allocated responsibilities”.
CSA also informed Mthethwa of the forensic audit it would be conducting which will look at the governing body’s management and governance of the board.
Mthethwa, in turn, advised CSA to engage with the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) in order to “send a clear and consistent message to the public”.
It was agreed that CSA will provide monthly updates to the Department and SASCOC on all matters.
CSA presented the minister with a “Turn-around Roadmap”, which details the four phases over the next six months that the cricket board will be implementing.
Mthethwa told CSA that it should always act in the best interests of the game and the nation, saying:
“In the final analysis, what we must always ensure is that South Africa is not placed in a position that is contrary to how we are known the world-over: that of being a ‘winning nation’.
“Whenever we are not viewed as a winning nation, it is self-inflicted. In order to perpetually demonstrate that we are indeed a winning nation – not just as players and teams, or individual athletes, but as administrators and governing bodies, we must learn to accept the challenges that have been experienced with humility.
“It is this humility that develops the self-improvement to ensure we remain the winners we have always been. I am humbled to have enjoyed the forthright and fruitful engagement with the leadership of this greatly loved sport of Cricket on this day.”
– Compiled by Lynn Butler
