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SACA wants answers from ex-CSA president Nenzani: why resign three weeks before the AGM

Chris Nenzani has been at the helm of Cricket SA as president since February 2013.
Chris Nenzani has been at the helm of Cricket SA as president since February 2013.
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix

South African Cricketer’s Association (Saca) chief executive officer Andrew Breetzke has called for former Cricket South Africa (CSA) president Chris Nenzani to provide the reasons that led to his sudden resignation.

Nenzani‚ who had been at CSA’s helm since February 2013‚ submitted his resignation on Friday evening‚ which was duly accepted by the board on Monday.

He has since been replaced by vice-president Beresford Williams‚ who’ll act in the position until the September 5 annual general meeting. Nenzani will avail himself to the media after the AGM.

CSA were also rocked by the Jacques Faul resignation as acting CEO later on Monday. He has been replaced by Kugandrie Govender‚ who is the chief commercial officer‚ with Breetzke saying CSA’s board must also shoulder the blame for the current administrative mess.

“Mr Nenzani owes all stakeholders an immediate explanation as to why he has stood down a mere three weeks before the CSA AGM‚ after he had refused to do so over the previous eight-month period despite calls to do so from key stakeholders within the game‚” Breetzke said.

“Together with the sudden resignation of Dr Jacques Faul as acting-CEO‚ one can only deduce that the board of directors have yet again reached a level of dysfunctionality that threatens the existence of the game in our country.”

Saca president Omphile Ramela said CSA’s board has failed to maintain a semblance of correct corporate governance‚ which has also filtered down to their affiliates.

Western Province Cricket has an interim president and an acting CEO in place after mass board resignations‚ while Easterns Cricket Union placed their CEO Mpho Seopa on precautionary suspension.

“Instead of facing these crises‚ CSA is embroiled in destructive politics at board and management level. It is evident that cricket is unable to self-correct. With the CSA AGM looming‚ the reality is that a number of affiliates have crises of their own and it is these structures that provide leadership to CSA‚” Ramela said.

“Many of the administrative challenges confronting the game are as a result of administrators failing to adhere to principles of corporate governance. Before we see the total collapse of the game of cricket there needs to be a leadership intervention at Board and Management level that is able to stabilize and transform the game and the business of cricket.”