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Cape Town - Andre Watson will fight his dismissal as SA Rugby referees boss in the labour appeal court on Wednesday.
SA Rugby sacked Watson on July 3 last year, after an arbitration award was issued by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
At the beginning of 2015, a number of people within the referees’ department lodged a grievance against Watson and SA Rugby commissioned an independent investigation into the grievance.
As a result of the findings, the CCMA was requested to consider certain allegations relating to Watson. Contrary to some earlier reports, the allegations that were dealt with by the CCMA did not relate to racism, financial irregularities, misappropriation or match fixing but to the relationship between Watson and a number of people within the referees’ department and in turn the impact of such relationship on SA Rugby.
The CCMA found that the allegations that had been levelled against Watson had been proved and as a consequence the CCMA found that the employment of Watson with SARU should be terminated.
Watson was accused of having a "dictatorial management style".
At the time of his dismissal, Watson said he would fight the decision and his lawyer, Bertie Grobbelaar, confirmed that it will take place in Cape Town on Wednesday.
“I confirm that there will be an application for review on the (court) roll for Wednesday, August 17 in the labour appeal court,” Grobbelaar told Netwerk24.
SA Rugby has since appointed Mzwamadoda “Banks” Yantolo as its manager of referees.
