Former employees accuse CSA of being ‘unfair’ and ‘unlawful’

Johannesburg, September 12

The crisis in South African cricket deepened with five former employees of the CSA accusing the sport’s governing body in the country of being “unfair and unlawful”.

They made the accusations in a six-page letter to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), which has asked Cricket South Africa’s board to step aside as it investigates “many instances of maladministration and malpractice” in the organisation.

The five persons in question are former head of sales and marketing Clive Eksteen, former chief operating officer Nassei Appiah, ex-senior manager of finance Ziyanda Nkuta, former manager for procurement Lundi Maja and Appiah’s former personal assistant Dalene Nolan.

“Our concern is that Cricket South Africa has, through various officials, misled and continues to mislead Parliament, the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture and the public,” they said in the letter, according to www.iol.co.za.

Also read:South Africa’s Olympic body takes control of CSA

“By so doing, Cricket South Africa has created a narrative that the organisation’s woes are the results of irresponsible stakeholder and financial management for which we were suspended and in most cases dismissed.”

While Appiah was the last to be sacked, in August, Eksteen, too, was fired this year in June and the three others were shown the door last December.

“The organisation seeks to paint a picture whereby it appears to have dealt with the problem by our expulsion and to assure all interested parties that this was done in keeping with good governance, natural justice and the law of the land.

“This cannot be further from the truth as Cricket South Africa has been underhanded in its dealing with us by completely abandoning any ethics that demand that a disciplinary hearing is conducted in a manner that is lawful, procedurally fair and in the best interest of the organisation and the sport.”

The CSA has been left with no one to run the daily affairs after the SASCOC asked the board to step aside.

The CSA has been in the middle of administrative chaos for last two years and is currently also facing allegations of corruption and racial discrimination.

CSA’ former chief executive officer Thabang Monroe was fired last month following the findings of a forensic report that revealed “acts of serious misconduct”.

Acting CEO Jacques Faul and president Chris Nenzani resigned last month with Kugandrie Govender replacing Faul.

The country’s elite players have also criticised the CSA for postponing its AGM scheduled for September 5. PTI