Arendse claims he’s a victim of ‘witch-hunt’

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - MAY 17, Adv. Norman Arendse (SAFA WC) during the City of Cape Town, in partnership with SAFA Cape Town and Western Cape Goverment press conference at Cape Town Civic Centre on May 17, 2012 in Cape Town, South Africa Photo by Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - MAY 17, Adv. Norman Arendse (SAFA WC) during the City of Cape Town, in partnership with SAFA Cape Town and Western Cape Goverment press conference at Cape Town Civic Centre on May 17, 2012 in Cape Town, South Africa Photo by Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images

Published Jan 31, 2013

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Johannesburg – Advocate Norman Arendse claims his detractors are conducting a witch-hunt against him ahead of Cricket SA's annual general meeting, where he hopes to be elected as its chairman, it was reported on Thursday.

He told Beeld that questions about his past were a “witch-hunt by a racist faction of CSA, determined to ensure that I'm not elected”.

The CSA is expected to elect a new board at its AGM on Saturday.

A dispute about whether the CSA chairman be independent or non-independent arose last year after Arendse, a former CSA president, was nominated, but was turned down, because of his previous involvement with cricket. He took the matter to arbitration and won.

The newspaper reported that Arendse had confirmed to the CSA that he had two convictions for drunken driving, in response to questions by Northerns Cricket Union president Vincent Sinovich at a CSA management meeting.

In an e-mail to the CSA, he reportedly said he was under the influence of alcohol on May 16, 1983, when his car was involved in an accident in Muizenberg, in which a close friend of his and a hitchhiker died.

He reportedly wrote that he pleaded guilty to charges of reckless and drunken driving and was fined, and given a suspended sentence.

He was again caught driving under the influence at a roadblock in Mitchells Plain in November 1985.

“I'm not proud of what I did and it still haunts me, but it was 30 years ago and I have nothing to hide,” he was quoted as saying in Beeld. – Sapa

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