SACA concerned South African cricket is falling apart

The South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) has issued a stern warning about the state of the game in the country and warned that its existence is under threat following the departure of the CEO and the president of Cricket South Africa (CSA). SACA has called on Chris Nenzani, who resigned as president over the weekend, to offer an explanation for stepping away three weeks before his tenure ended and for CSA to show leadership in matters relating to the suspended CEO Thabang Moroe and the season ahead.

"SACA has engaged directly with players over the past few weeks, and there is a growing realisation amongst players that their careers as professional cricketers are being threatened by the very organization that should be nurturing them," a SACA statement read.

It further asked that CSA work appropriately to resolve the issues of discrimination that have come to light following Lungi Ngidi's stance on the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, and the resumption of the domestic and international season and Moroe's disciplinary situation. Most pressingly for SACA, South Africa's players, both men and women, have no indication of when they will return to play following the Covid-19 hiatus, both as a result of international borders being closed and because no domestic fixtures have been finalised.

"CSA must show leadership in dealing with the various crises facing the game; the transformation and discrimination crisis that has come to the fore over the past two months; the resumption of domestic and international cricket under COVID-19; the finalization of the disciplinary matter of the suspended CEO; the forensic investigation; and the forecast deficit which has the potential to financially cripple the game," the statement read.

Franchise teams have returned to training and there is talk of the season starting in November but there is no clarity on whether the franchise T20 tournament, the Mzansi Super League (MSL), will take place or who will lead CSA through the next few months.

An Acting CEO, Kugandrie Govender, was named this morning and will hold the post until the Moroe case is finalised. Only then can CSA begin the search for a new CEO. CSA is also operating under an acting president, Beresford Williams, with a new president set to be elected at the AGM on September 5. Nenzani has undertaken to engage with the media after that but SACA CEO Andrew Breetzke would like answers from him immediately.

"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 has yet again reached a level of dysfunctionality that threatens the existence of the game in our country."

SACA has consistently led calls for Nenzani and Williams to step down, following last year's administrative meltdown and again pointed to the board as being responsible for the troubles in the game. SACA continue to point at CSA's inability to resolve its myriad problems as being due to lack of corporate governance and warned the game may face "total collapse" if issues are not dealt with.

"CSA is embroiled in destructive politics at Board and Management level. It is evident that cricket is unable to self-correct," Omphile Ramela, SACA's president 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 stabilise and transform both the game and the business of cricket."