Cricket South Africa (CSA) have gained the upper hand in their battle with suspended chief executive Gerald Majola with the chairman of the disciplinary hearing making a preliminary finding in the organisation’s favour.
Advocate Johann Myburgh SC has provided Cricket SA with an “advisory award” which essentially states that if the disciplinary hearing continues, he is likely to find in CSA’s favour.
Majola nevertheless wants to continue the process.
“The (CSA) Board gave our legal team a mandate to proceed with the disciplinary hearing on the basis of the advisory award handed down by the chairman of the disciplinary hearing,” Cricket SA’s acting president Willie Basson said on Friday.
“The advisory award went very much in our favour so it is very positive that we hold the moral high ground.”
Cricket SA’s acting chief executive, Jacques Faul stressed Myburgh’s findings were not binding, and that the door was still open for Majola to let the disciplinary process run its course.
Majola was suspended in March on the advice of Judge Chris Nicholson who ran a wide-ranging inquiry into CSA’s administration and the bonus scandal which rocked the organisation in 2009.
Majola was found to have pocketed bonuses totalling R1.8 million after the hosting of the Indian Premier League and the ICC Champions Trophy in SA. Auditing firm KPMG found he breached the Companies Act on four occasions.
Meanwhile, Faul rescinded his resignation at a special general meeting of the CSA’s Board of Directors on Friday. Last week he had resigned saying he could no longer do the job because he felt his authority was being undermined by the board members.
On Friday the board came out unanimously in support of him. “I have received numerous calls from board members stating their support about the way I’ve handled operations at Cricket SA,” Faul remarked.
A clearer picture also emerged about the future of CSA’s administration following Friday’s meeting, with Basson saying the current members forum – which comprises the presidents of all 11 provincial affiliates and other associate members – will play a more important role in how the sport is governed.
“Previously the board was the dominant (administrative) entity in cricket, but that will be replaced by the members forum. The general assembly is the checks and balances in the system, they formulate policy and it is the board’s responsibility to ensure that policy is executed,” Basson explained.