The row between Cricket South Africa (CSA) president Norman Arendse and chief executive Gerald Majola is likely to be a major item on the agenda at the meeting of the CSA general council on Friday. Both men will be present at the meeting.
Senior members of the council are believed to be planning to introduce a motion of no confidence in Arendse for bringing the game of cricket into disrepute, because of the adverse publicity that surrounded the naming of the Proteas team to tour Bangladesh.
The row erupted after Arendse three times rejected the Proteas team selected to tour Bangladesh, saying the line-up did not conform to CSA’s transformation policy. Arendse and Proteas coach Mickey Arthur became involved in an acrimonious public spat, with each accusing the other of ”disrespectful and abusive behaviour”.
Arendse held a conference call with a number of members of the general council, and announced that Arthur had been axed as a member of the national selection committee. This decision had to be reversed when Majola pointed out that serving on the selection committee was part of Arthur’s contract.
When Arendse again rejected the team presented for his approval, Majola overrode him and announced the same team that had originally been selected.
Although the row was initially between Arendse and Arthur, it is well known that there are tensions between Arendse and Majola, even though they issued a joint statement stating that they had buried the hatchet.
Earlier this week, the chairperson of Parliament’s sport and recreation portfolio committee, Butana Komphela, threw his weight behind Arendse, describing the criticism he had received as ”an attack on transformation”.
”Transformation is non-negotiable. We have taken over this country to make it a place where we are all comfortable,” Komphela said.
He also called for the dismissal of all members of the Proteas team who had supported Arthur in the dispute with Arendse.
Meanwhile, the Proteas manager, Dr Logan Naidoo, who is also the vice-president of CSA, has flown back to South Africa from Bangladesh to attend the meeting, although the second Test begins in Chittagong on Friday morning. — Sapa