Cricket must continue without government intervention: South African Sports Minister

Cricket must continue without government intervention: South African Sports Minister.

Cricket must now continue without government intervention, Sports Minister Nathi Mthetwa said, announcing the withdrawal of a proclamation that would have endangered the national teams and their tours.

“We have learned a lot and now we have to start packing our bags as a government and step aside, so that the sport runs continuously, without hindrance,” Mthetwa told a joint press conference with Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Friday.

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“For posterity, people should know that for something good to happen there has to be a fight,” Mthetwa said, advocating government intervention in the issues of disputes against the CSA.

Mthetwa had appointed an Interim Council (IB) last year on the express condition that it resolves a long-standing crisis at the CSA regarding the implementation of new corporate governance proposals.
The entire previous board had either resigned or been dismissed.

Following a deadlock between the IB and the Council of Members, which represents its affiliates, on accepting the new governance rules, Mthetwa had invoked his powers under the National Sports and Recreation Act on Thursday to leave South Africa without authority. to play cricket.

This would have called into question the status of the national teams and all incoming and outgoing tours. Hundreds of jobs were also at stake.

However, just hours after the proclamation, Mthetwa announced that he had instructed his Department to begin the withdrawal process.

He said this was done after receiving a letter from the CSA.

“As the sole purpose of my intervention in CSA affairs was to facilitate a negotiated solution regarding best governance practices, based on the confirmation of the CSA Acting President (Rihan Richards) and the IB President (Stavros Nicolaou), I instructed my Department to immediately begin the process required to withdraw the notice, ”said Mthetwa.

Nicolaou said that the new governance framework involving independent directors would not only inspire confidence in CSA but would also go a long way toward correcting the failures and setbacks that previously existed on the cricket board.

“I think this will divert the focus and attention from the boardroom to the players and the fans where it should be,” Nicolaou said.

The new CSA board of directors will be made up of 15 directors, who will be reduced to 13 after two years. Eight will be independent directors, nominated from an independent panel, while the Council of Members will select five non-independent directors.