South African Rugby Union president Brian van Rooyen received a stay of execution on Wednesday afternoon when Judge Edwin King resigned as head of an inquiry to investigate corporate mismanagement by Van Rooyen.
King, who was also head of the commission into the Hansie Cronje saga in 2000, cited personal reasons as well as SA Rugby dragging its feet with proceedings, The Citizen reported on Wednesday.
”I don’t want to blame anyone for the delay which forced me to resign. But I simply can’t wait for SA Rugby to get its act together. I have other commitments,” King told The Citizen.
The inquiry, which was due to begin on Monday, was to investigate the 10 counts of poor corporate management by Van Rooyen and his president’s council following last year’s widely reported Brand/Heunis report into rugby affairs.
King’s resignation was not on the agenda at the day-long meeting of the SA Rugby board in Johannesburg on Tuesday, but will certainly be high on the agenda when the president’s council meets on Friday.
Also on the table for discussion at Friday’s meeting will be Van Rooyen’s request to the board for his legal costs accruing from the inquiry into his affairs to be paid by SA Rugby.
SA Rugby CEO Johan Prinsloo confirmed on Wednesday that the request was received at Tuesday’s board meeting from Van Rooyen, and that the board would be seeking legal opinion on the matter.
Van Rooyen’s days in South African rugby’s most-prized seat could be numbered, as the outspoken president could face the guillotine on February 23 at SA Rugby’s annual general meeting.
His supporter base at grass-roots level seems to be dwindling with the changing of the guard at smaller unions such as Griquas, Griffons, Border and South Western Districts.
The annual general meeting could bring to pass a Van Rooyen era plagued with allegations of mismanagement, financial bungling and a spate of resignations in the office, while the teams performed exceptionally on the field. — Sapa