Embattled Cricket SA (CSA) president Mtutuzeli Nyoka received backing on Wednesday from the Northerns Cricket Union.
CSA said last month it would hold a special general meeting next week where Nyoka would be handed a vote of no confidence for the second time this year.
“Against the backdrop of the issues raised and after due deliberation, the majority decision of the executive board of Northerns Cricket is not to support the proposed motion of no confidence in the incumbent president of CSA,” the Northerns board said in a statement.
The executive of the provincial body, one of 11 members of the CSA forum, had debated the proposed motion “at length” at its AGM in Centurion on Tuesday night.
The Free State cricket body's president, Leon Crawley, was mandated last month to vote in favour of the motion to oust Nyoka.
Nyoka, who has been locked in an ongoing battle with the CSA board since 2009, had queried unofficial bonuses paid to chief executive Gerald Majola and 40 CSA staff members after the hosting of the 2009 Indian Premier League and ICC Champions' Trophy competitions.
The bonuses came to light only after CSA's remuneration committee unwittingly rewarded the same staff for the same work.
Nyoka was ousted in February after his refusal to let the matter rest. He obtained a court order to be reinstated and recommended an external audit be carried out into the affair.
The investigation, conducted by KPMG, found that Majola may have breached the Companies' Act in four instances.
To date, Majola has received nothing more than a reprimand from CSA's board. Nyoka has continued to argue for sterner action to be taken. – Sapa