South Africa’s Olympic governing body will discuss on Tuesday whether to conduct an independent investigation into the financial affairs of Cricket South Africa (CSA).
The chief executive of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc), Tubby Reddy, said on Monday he would engage the Sascoc board regarding allegations of financial irregularities made by CSA president Mtutuzeli Nyoka.
“We will look into this issue and consider taking the matter further,” Reddy said.
“Considering the amount of money in question, we will consider conducting an independent investigation.”
Reddy said the Sascoc offices were closed until May 3, but he would email fellow board members regarding alleged missing funds.
“I will engage the process tomorrow and get their thoughts on the matter,” he said.
Nyoka, who was reinstated as CSA president earlier this month after a judgment in his favour, alleged in court papers that R68-million had gone missing from a CSA bank account.
The federation said in a statement last week that the money had been held on behalf of the Indian Premier League (IPL) when South Africa hosted the Twenty20 competition in 2009.
Nyoka was fired earlier this year after receiving a vote of no confidence from the CSA board.
He had reportedly clashed with CSA chief executive Gerald Majola after the latter failed to clear R3.8-million in bonus payments with the CSA remuneration committee.
Nyoka called for an independent investigation into the matter, but CSA opted for an internal process instead, and Nyoka was removed from his seat at the head of the board.
He later threatened to reveal corruption in South African cricket.
Sports minister Fikile Mbalula approached Sascoc to conduct a “basic inquiry”, according to Reddy, regarding the bonus payments.
Reddy said the bonuses paid to 40 staff members, from the IPL and the International Cricket Council (ICC), had been cleared by the CSA board and no irregularities were found in their investigation.
“Nyoka was elected by a democratic process and he was removed by a democratic process,” Reddy said.
“He won the court case because CSA was found not to have followed proper processes in line with their constitution when he was fired.
“That is an internal matter for the CSA board to deal with.”
However, based on the newest allegations of missing millions, Reddy said Sascoc would consider holding an independent investigation into the cricket body’s finances. — Sapa