JOHANNESBURG - The South African Cricketers Association will not negotiate with any members of Cricket SA’s current Board of Directors as the organisation that represents the players and the one that runs the sport seek to bridge the divide between them
SACA on Monday claimed it was astounded that the Board had refused to take responsibility for what it described as a “deep, deep crisis,” in South African cricket.
“No one disagrees with the removal of the chief executive, but to suggest that the buck stopped with him alone, and for the Board to cling so desperately to power, is a matter for serious concern,” the Association’s out-going chief executive said on Monday.
SACA and CSA have been at loggerheads for two years - the majority of the tenure of the now suspended CEO Thabang Moroe. He caused a deep divide between CSA and the players virtually from day one when he became the interim CEO following the departure Haroon Lorgat in 2017.
There was the delay in signing the Memorandum of Understanding at the start of 2018 and more lately, the court case, brought by SACA over the restructuring of the domestic programme with SACA demanding to know the figures on which CSA based their decision to restructure especially as it pertains to the number of professional cricketers in the country.
That matter has been before the South Gauteng High Court since May and on Monday SACA once more accused CSA for delaying that process.
“When SACA’s court application was filed at the end of May 2019 we believe it became incumbent on the Board to, at very least, take a good look at the risk that this presented to the organisation, and to the game, and to deal with it expeditiously. Instead however CSA delayed the proceedings for months and its answering papers were only filed at court in November 2019,” Irish, who will be moving to a similar position with SACA’s English equivalent, the PCA, explained.
On Monday, Irish said SACA would be happy to engage with CSA’s newly appointed interim chief executive Jacques Faul, about some of the issues that have led to the current crisis. “SACA will not however lend credibility to the Board of CSA by dealing with a ‘negotiating panel’ if this comprises any Board members.”