CSA records financial surplus for third straight year

For the third consecutive year, Cricket South Africa has recorded a financial surplus - effectively a profit - to be ploughed back into the running of the game in the country. The 2015-16 year saw the organisation end R107 million (US$7.4 million) in the black after a high-profile visit from England and the restructuring of their operational model. For the first time, all 14 provincial affiliates turned a profit.

"CSA has again produced a stellar performance in its operations and finances," CSA president Chris Nenzani said after Saturday's Annual General Meeting. "Contributing to this success was the effective running of the Operating Model that was introduced in June 2014 which resulted in all 14 Members returning better than break-even financial results for the first time."

The AGM had a significant focus on transformation, after CSA announced in July that they would implement targets on the number of the players of colour in national teams in response to being banned by the country's sports ministry from bidding for or hosting major events as punishment for the slow progress of transformation. In a briefing earlier in the year, the ministry revealed it expected national teams to be 60% representative, which translates to seven players of colour in an XI. But CSA has not revealed whether they have agreed to this, neither have altered domestic targets which are set at six players of colour in a starting XI of which at least three must be black Africans.

However, Nenzani remained critical of the transformation process and explained that CSA was working with the ministry and the Eminent Persons Group that assess transformation efforts for the government to better their results. "The very fact that there is a need to set certain targets indicates that the system has not been working optimally to achieve representivity," Nenzani said. "We remain in dialogue with the Ministry and the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) in order to find common ground and address those areas where we need to improve. I am confident that our engagements will bear fruits."

Nenzani's post was not up for re-election but there were three additions to the board, none of them to the independent member component. Western Province president Beresford Williams was re-elected to the board and Kwa-Zulu Natal and Border presidents Fa-eez Jaffer and Thando Ganda were given first-time roles. Gauteng Cricket Board president Thabang Moroe, who was already on the board, was elected vice-president.