TFRIDAY, 6.30PM
The long-awaited commission of inquiry into the management of South African rugby will start on November 18.
The first in a series of daily public hearings will be held in Sandton, commission chairman acting Judge Jules Browde (SC) announced on Friday. Hundreds of witnesses, including members of the SA Rugby Football Union executive, are expected to be called to testify before the commission. The commission is due to present its findings to the Department of Sports and Recreation in February.
The other members of the three-member commission are the former Olympic middle-distance athlete, Sydney Maree and Mike Fuller, financial manager for the unsuccessful Cape Town Olympic bid.
The commission has been charged with investigating the management of rugby by Sarfu and its 14 affiliated unions, in particular the Gauteng Lions Rubgy Union. Central issues include development programmes, intervention by administrators in team selection, employment of key personnel, the awarding of contracts and payment of commissions.