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Cricket SA hits back at critics

Johannesburg - A transparent process had been followed to appoint five independent members to the board of Cricket SA (CSA), acting president Willie Basson said on Monday.

He was referring to Norman Arendse's complaint to the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) that he was overlooked for the position of chairperson.

"SASCOC has informed us (CSA) that Mr Arendse approached them and we have communicated to our lawyers, who are now dealing with it," Basson said.

"It was the board's prerogative to accept the candidates and on this point, because of a technicality and non-compliance by the nomination committee, one of the members was not eligible."

CSA announced last week that the five independent members were chairperson Louis von Zeuner, Geoff Whyte, Vusi Pikoli, Mohamed Iqbal Khan, and Dawn Mokhobo.

According to Basson, Arendse was omitted because of a technicality in the policy which did not allow a candidate to serve on the board if he or she had been involved in cricket during the past three years.

The former CSA president, Arendse, was discounted because of his status as honorary member of the Western Province Cricket Association.

The chairperson of the nominations committee Shawn Christiansen and committee member Rushdie Magiet allegedly resigned over the furore. Christiansen last week slammed the selection, claiming the new board selected was "too white".

Basson said the steering committee had a clear scope of the board's criteria for eligible candidates.

"All along the arrangement with the nomination committee was that the criteria of the independents should have a track record in business, with objectivity, independence of thought, and non-association for a period of three years," Basson said.

The board had clearly conveyed these criteria to the nominations committee on three occasions.

CSA restructured the board in accordance with recommendations made by the Nicholson committee of inquiry, appointed by Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula to investigate the long-running bonus saga at CSA.

The board of directors would consist of 11 members - five independents, the CEO, and five non-independents, who would represent the affiliate unions.

Von Zeuner would chair the board. The vice-chairperson would be both president of CSA and of the members' forum.

The vice-chairperson would also be one of the non-independent directors who would represent CSA at the International Cricket Council (ICC) and on other international occasions.

Basson said the new-look board was the most progressive in the country and possibly in world cricket.

"The board will be better constructed and will be held accountable to the members' forum," he said.

"The members' forum will be the policy forming entity and the board will execute the policies."

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