By Ken Borland
JOHANNESBURG, March 16 (Reuters) – South African
Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula called on the country’s cricket
leadership to step down on Friday, accusing them of “cover-ups.”
His call follows the results of an inquiry which found
Cricket South Africa (CSA) had failed to take appropriate action
against chief executive Gerald Majola for alleged financial
misconduct.
Majola had been embroiled in scandal after R4.7 million
($615,000) in unauthorised bonuses were allegedly paid to CSA
staff following the 2009 Indian Premier League (IPL) and ICC
Champions Trophy.
It was alleged Majola received R1.8 million, but he was
originally cleared of any wrongdoing by an internal CSA inquiry
headed by AK Khan, who resigned as acting president this week.
The board of inquiry, appointed by Mbalula and chaired by
judge Chris Nicholson, found that Majola had “surreptitiously”
received bonus payments from the IPL.
Nicholson recommended that Majola be suspended and face a
disciplinary inquiry and possible criminal charges.
“The board of Cricket South Africa, if it has any moral
compass … must do the right thing – as Judge Nicholson has
advised,” Mbalula told a news conference in Johannesburg.
“The board must conduct an open and brutally frank
introspection about its role in the deepening crisis within
cricket.
Continued…
