Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa can withdraw funding and no longer officially recognise CSA as the governing body of cricket
Cricket South Africa will face intervention from the country’s sports minister Nathi Mthethwa after failing to agree on a Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI) that will set out the blueprint for a majority independent board on Saturday. Mthethwa will use the National Sports and Recreation Act to step in, which gives him the right to – amongst other things – withdraw funding and no longer officially recognise CSA as the governing body of cricket.
However, whether Mthethwa’s steps will be that drastic are not known at this stage. In a statement on Sunday morning, his office said he “will be taking the necessary steps required to exercise his rights in terms of the law prescripts next week”.
Mthethwa’s hand was forced after CSA’s Members’ Council – the body made up of 14 provincial presidents – held a special general meeting on Saturday to vote on the new MOI. After issuing a statement on April 10 indicating that the Members’ Council has come to an agreement with the interim board on the MOI, only six of the 14 members voted that way, with five voting against and three abstentions. Thus, that meant the MOI could not be established.
A key point in the MOI is the framework for a majority independent board, which the Members’ Council are reluctant to put in place.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent