Johannesburg – Cricket SA's (CSA) acting CEO Jacques Faul said on Friday he had the backing of its board after he rescinded his resignation, ending a week of uncertainty over his future.
Faul tendered his resignation last week, citing differences in opinion regarding the roles and responsibilities of the board.
“I have withdrawn my resignation because I feel have the support of the board in going forward and doing my duties,” Faul said after a CSA special general meeting in Johannesburg.
“I wasn’t sure, but I received numerous phone calls from board members stating their support and saying they are happy with the way I’ve conducted my duties, and that convinced me to stay.”
Faul took office, in an acting capacity, after Gerald Majola was suspended in March for failing to declare R4.7 million in bonuses, which were paid to CSA staff without clearance from the board or the remuneration committee.
Faul also confirmed that an advisory award, a preliminary hearing into the legality of Majola’s suspension, had gone in CSA’s favour.
“We’ve had an advisory award, which was a process that was followed to see if we could solve the matter earlier,” Faul said.
“That didn’t happen, so we then instructed our legal team to go ahead with the full disciplinary hearing.”
No date is set yet for the hearing, but Faul said they hoped to conclude the matter as soon as possible.
He said the advisory award was not binding.
“The advisory award only gives an indication, and it gives both parties an opportunity to decide whether to withdraw or to go ahead with the full hearing,” he said.
“Majola could have resigned, but he has chosen to go ahead and continue with the legal process.”
The voting members of the board, the members’ forum, voted unanimously on Friday to delay the annual general meeting until CSA's restructuring processes could be completed, in accordance with recommendations made by the Nicholson inquiry into the “secret” bonus payments.
“In line with other Test-playing countries, the CSA board will be made up of fewer members, who will be independent,” said CSA’s acting president Willie Basson.
“One of the weaknesses in the system was that the board dominated everything, so the real owners of the sport did not have enough say.
“So, what we’re doing now is making the board accountable to the members’ forum.
“They Ä the members’ forum Ä will determine the policy and the board will execute.”
As with the current members’ forum, Basson said it would be made up of the 11 affiliate presidents plus representatives from other areas of cricket, and would meet two or three times a year.
The board would report back to the members’ forum and they could query their actions or lack thereof.
“It’s a better governance model and it’s also more democratic,” Basson said.
“Previously, the board was the dominant force, but now the power will lie where it should be lying.” – Sapa