CAPE TOWN – Sascoc have criticised sports minister Nathi Mthethwa’s decision to invoke section 13 (5) (c) of the Sports and Recreation Act, stripping all authority from Cricket South Africa as cricket’s governing body in the country.
On Friday, Mthethwa informed CSA’s Members Council – the highest decision-making body in the organisation, comprising the 14 provincial presidents – and the Interim Board that he would be invoking the powers available to him in Act, thus halting funding to CSA, and more critically removing recognition of CSA as the governing authority for the sport in the country.
The decision was taken after CSA’s Members Council failed to implement the recommendations of the Nicholson Report.
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“Our considered view is that Section 13 of the Act needs to be read and applied in its entirety rather than selectively. Had the minister done that, he would have realised this instrument was not only inapplicable in this case, but also, that he has overreached,” Sascoc said in a statement released late on Saturday evening.
“We want to place it on record, two or even three wrongs don’t make a right, the fact that there are wrongs in CSA doesn’t mean we must flaunt governance process and the law to achieve our own ends,” said Sascoc.
“You cannot forgo existing governance processes to impose Nicholson’s finding, however well intended they maybe, because in so doing you fall foul of the exact same thing you are trying to rectify. It does not take a paragon of correctness to see that.”
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South Africa’s national Olympic committee urged the minister and the Members Council to work with them to enhance the governance of cricket in the country.
“Once again SASCOC is committed to work with the Members Council, the current Interim Board, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Minister. We believe that we can work together within our principles of democratic elective process and also to create a balance of independent specialists that will enhance governance, we need to do this patiently and considerably.
“We therefore call on all parties to engage in dialogue that will culminate in an acceptable, balanced, responsible and competent structure that will take CSA forward.”