CSA launch an enquiry into whether SJN findings have a germ of truth 0
Cricket South Africa’s board announced on Monday that they will institute an enquiry into the conduct of director of cricket Graeme Smith and Proteas head coach Mark Boucher following the accusations of discrimination made against them by the Social Justice and Nation-Building Report released last week.
An independent legal panel will conduct the enquiry, making it a more formal process than the SJN hearings, during which evidence was not tested and ombudsman Dumisa Ntsebeza admitted that his findings were “tentative” and not definitive.
Even if there is no more than a germ of truth, however, in the SJN allegations, CSA’s statement said “The Board [is] mindful of its duty to treat allegations of racism or discrimination with the utmost seriousness and in a manner that ensures fairness and due process in terms of South Africa’s labour legislation and the Constitution.”
The formal enquiry will also give Smith and Boucher another opportunity to give testimony in person, after both were criticised for only submitting affidavits to Ntsebeza during the SJN process.
Smith has been accused of misusing his position as director of cricket to shepherd “his friend” Boucher into the head coach position without following due process. The former Proteas captain’s lawyer, David Becker, has refuted these allegations, pointing out that the decision was signed off by the board and executive management of CSA.
Ntsebeza’s finding also ignores the fact that Boucher was the most successful coach in domestic franchise cricket at the time of his appointment, and has international playing experience second to none.
Smith’s own appointment was also flagged by Ntsebeza as being irregular, but again this was done with the approval of a Black-majority board as well as the executive management of CSA, according to Becker and the organisation’s own evidence at the SJN hearings.
CSA said the formal enquiries will start “early in the new year” and will include all employees, suppliers or contractors implicated in the SJN report.
Smith and Boucher will continue in their positions until at least the end of the India tour on January 23.
All of which makes it seem like CSA are starting their investigations all over again despite spending R7.5 million on the SJN.