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Cape Town - Cricket South Africa (CSA) CEO Thabang Moroe has personally apologised for the "mishap" that unfolded over the weekend which saw five cricket journalists have their media accreditation revoked.
READ | CSA to 'fully address' media gagging crisis
In a letter sent to South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) Executive Director Kate Skinner on Tuesday, Moroe, as head of operations at CSA, took full responsibility for the actions of the organisation.
Those five reporters who found themselves unable to work at Mzansi Super League (MSL) matches in Cape Town and Johannesburg over the weekend, were Stuart Hess (The Star), Ken Borland (The Citizen), Neil Manthorp (SABC), Firdose Moonda (ESPN Cricinfo) and Telford Vice (Cricbuzz.com).
CSA's actions led to SANEF calling for an apology to be extended to the affected writers, while the South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) called on the board of directors of CSA to act decisively in order to deal with the ongoing damage being caused to the game in South Africa.
Furthermore, Proteas Test and ODI title sponsors Standard Bank expressed their "grave concern" at the current governance of cricket in South Africa. The banking giants called an urgent meeting with CSA's top brass on Monday.
Late on Monday, former CSA president Norman Arendse penned a no-holds-barred open letter in which he appealed to the beleaguered sports body to act against maladministration and the banning of the journalists.
Cricket South Africa CEO Thabang Moroe's letter to SANEF on Tuesday:
Again thank you for taking my call and giving me a moment in your busy schedule. As I alluded to you that as head of operations at Cricket South Africa I take full responsibility for what transpired over the weekend and that I don't think such a drastic measure was necessary! With hindsight being the perfect vision one can easily think to have spared a few minutes in my day to try and personally get hold of the journalists and assess their position myself.
I have been in talks with all the journalists and personally apologized for the embarrassment they suffered, I have also committed to a "sit down" with them so we can have frank discussions around CSA and cricket. Mr Boland (sic) is currently on holiday and I haven't been able to get hold of him but will continue trying him.
I take this opportunity to once more apologize, unreservedly so to you and your organization for the mishap and can assure you that it will not happen again!
Looking forward to meeting with you once we are able to sync our diaries so we can gingerly move forward together!
Kind regards,
Thabang Moroe CSA
