Cricket South Africa (CSA) revealed on Saturday that their members’ council rejected the interim board’s proposal to implement the 2012 Chris Nicholson report recommendations to have a majority independent board overseeing cricket’s affairs.
This comes after the interim board and members’ council met and took a vote on the matter on Saturday. In 2012, CSA restructured its board following the Nicholson inquiry into the 2009 Indian Premier League (IPL) bonus scandal.
Many of Nicholson’s recommendations were adopted pursuant to the recommendations in that report. However, one of Nicholson’s key recommendations was that CSA amend the composition of the board to include more independent members to ensure the structure’s independence.
As recently as 2018, CSA also took resolutions to adopt the key Nicholson recommendations under then-president Chris Nenzani’s tenure and to amend their memorandum of incorporation (MOI) accordingly but failed to implement those decisions.
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Last year, when Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa appointed the interim board, he specifically instructed them to ensure they implemented those recommendations. As it stands, CSA’s board consists of seven non-independent (members’ council representatives) and five independent members.
In a massive stand-off for cricket’s governance structural turnaround, the members’ council advised that eight of the fourteen members voted against the notion of an independent board.
CSA said in their statement: ” We regret to advise South Africans that the Members’ Council rejected the Interim Board’s proposal to implement the Nicholson Report, specifically the Interim Board’s proposal regarding a majority independent Board, chaired by an independent director.
The interim board is requesting for the member’s council to disclose if they voted for or against the principle of a majority of independent directors.
” This is a well-established governance principle, both in South Africa and internationally. It was also supported by advice given to the Interim Board and Members’ Council by renowned company law and governance expert, Michael Katz,” continued its statement.
” The decision is integral to good governance and to the restoration of the reputation of cricket in South Africa and internationally, and in order to address historic governance failures which have plagued cricket in South Africa. ” The Interim Board has always been committed to implementing the mandate given to it by the Minister and endorsed by the Members’ Council on behalf of the people of South Africa.
” The interim board stated that the member’s council has disappointed the South African cricketing community following Saturday’s meeting.
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” The Interim Board is, therefore, disappointed that at this critical juncture for South African cricket, the Members’ Council has chosen to preserve the untenable status quo, ” read their statement.
” Cricket in South Africa is a national good and in doing so, the Members’ Council has not only disappointed the Interim Board, the South African cricketing community but also the South African people at large.
” A press briefing will be held “as soon as possible” with the interim board and the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mthethwa, on the way forward.
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