Ken Borland

Cricket South Africa’s Social Justice and Nation-Building Commission is only going to have six months to do its work, but the organisation is going to ensure the ombudsman, Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, has all the resources required to complete his mandate.

“It is a very limited period – six months – so there is a sense of urgency to investigate and adjudicate all the submissions received, which by-and-large will deal with unfair discrimination. I will try and keep a tight rein, strict adherence to the program, but I must warn the public that sometimes these inquiries take on a life of their own. Hopefully we will not need an extension of time.

“I initially felt I needed three years, but after useful discussions with the Interim Board of CSA, I am now in respectful agreement, I am convinced, that it is doable in six months, but very difficult. There is never enough time for any commission dealing with the legacy of history, but there has to be a set time for making decisions so that you are focused. Yes, I wish there was more time, but I will do the job,” Ntsebeza, who sat on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, told a virtual conference on Thursday.

“It maybe felt like forever in getting SJN up and running, but there has been a lot of work going on in the background. CSA had to make sure we were totally ready to support Advocate Ntsebeza operationally and we have already set up facilities for him and his support staff. We don’t want this to be a tick-box exercise, so sufficient resources have definitely been made available to make sure he can deliver his mandate,” CSA acting chief executive Pholetsi Moseki said.

Ntsebezi admitted that he could not control CSA’s reaction to his recommendations, but he was confident they will implement the transformation imperatives he tables.

“There is no provision in my terms of reference or any statute that forces them to implement my recommendations; they remain recommendations. But I don’t think CSA would have taken the opportunity to embark on this project, they would not have made the appointment in the first place, if they were not serious. But there are no guarantees.

“I have no magic wand and I don’t have the mandate to use a big stick on CSA. But if they don’t implement then it will be time spent in vain. In my discussions with the Interim Board, I got a sense of commitment and an appetite to see this through, otherwise I would not have taken the job. I would hope that those tasked with implementing my recommendations will rise to the occasion,” Ntsebeza said.

Only a run-out prevented spinners Senuran Muthusamy and Prenelan Subrayen from the unprecedented feat of both finishing the match with 10-wicket hauls as the Dolphins won the 4-Day Domestic Series final in extraordinary fashion at Kingsmead on Monday, beating the Titans by an innings and 76 runs.

The Titans were bowled out for 166 towards the end of the extended morning session on Monday, a vast improvement on their miserable 53 all out in the first innings, but still nowhere near enough to prevent the Dolphins from claiming the title outright.

Slow left-armer Muthusamy was the second-innings destroyer, taking six for 79 in 28.2 overs, giving him match figures of nine for 91. Off-spinner Subrayen claimed four for 56 in 38 overs, giving him 10 for 80 in the match.

It is the first time in South African first-class history that two bowlers from the same side have taken 19 wickets in a match. The other Titans wicket fell to a run out.

With almost the entire first two days of play being lost to the weather, it seemed something miraculous would have to occur for an outright result to be achieved.

The Dolphins had that magic in their kitbags though, their two magnificent spinners being accurate and relentless, backed by superb fielding, led by wicketkeeper Mangaliso Mosehle, Keegan Petersen’s catching up close and Ruan de Swardt in the ring.

The Titans batsmen just did not have the skill and intent available to them to break the stranglehold, although Rivaldo Moonsamy showed good fight on Monday as he scored 41 in two hours at the crease.

The Dolphins have been the dominant team in the domestic season, claiming two (one shared) of the three trophies available to them and reaching the T20 final.

The improvement in Sharks rugby has been most apparent on the field as they led SuperRugby before Covid struck and then reached the final of the Currie Cup, only losing in extra time to the Bulls, but those gains are also dependent on the excellent work done behind the scenes by the administrators.

This may be Sean Everitt’s first major coaching gig but he has a wise rugby head and his player management is superb; the team culture he has helped develop at Kings Park has been phenomenal. The Sharks also have an outstanding CEO of vision in Eduard Coetzee and recently-ascended president Brian van Zyl is a seasoned administrator who built much of the union’s success in the professional era during his time as chief executive.

And the reward for all that good administration has been the confidence expressed in the union by new equity partners MVM Holdings, a consortium with deep pockets, once they had been snubbed by Western Province. That investment will certainly allow the Sharks to bolster their playing resources, and they have done so immediately by signing Springbok captain Siya Kolisi.

But the Sharks are well aware that bagloads of money and buying the best players does not necessarily guarantee success; they know that the entire organisation needs a shared vision that they are all working towards.

That new equity investment means there is suddenly budget for some extra things and I was one of the journalists fortunate enough to be flown down to Durban by the Sharks this week to see Kolisi being officially unveiled as a Sharks player.

And seeing first-hand what is going on at Kings Park, it is obvious that something special is happening and these are very exciting times for the Sharks.

Kolisi spoke about how the whole culture and vibe of the Sharks caught his attention a while back and how obvious it was to him that Durban should be his new home once he had decided to end his 11-year stay in Cape Town.

Following his media duties, Kolisi was part of an induction session with all the wide-eyed new intake of academy players at which Coetzee explained the core values of the Sharks. The motto “We are an inclusive culture underpinned by diversity” featured strongly and the spirit of the Sharks team shows they are living the tenets of that ideal.

The inclusion of all cultures is an obvious part of the team dynamic and Kolisi was part of a ceremony based on the tradition of placing your own stone on a cairn of rocks whenever you should pass by one.

Called Isivivane, it signifies the commitment to contribute your best to the new, shared journey you are embarking on.

Kolisi knows all about commitment – having proposed to his wife Rachel on a helicopter flying over Constantia, they have since built a family that has taken in Siya’s two young half-siblings, who were in foster care.

The Sharks environment is also one of caring, with Coetzee taking pride in how well he treats all his players and staff, although there is a constant focus on meeting the standards required of a top rugby franchise.

Everitt himself popped in even though he is technically still on holiday, and was in good cheer despite the recent trauma of the Currie Cup final.

He will not be putting Kolisi under any extra pressure after the fraught 2020 he had with injuries, Covid and the administrative problems in Western Province rugby. The 29-year-old will be given the time and space to get fully fit and ready in body and mind to produce his best on the field. The captaincy will stay with Lukhanyo Am, whose leadership has been a great positive, but there is no doubt Kolisi will be an inspirational presence.

 From the office of the CEO down to the junior staff, there is just a good energy at Kings Park these days. These are exciting times indeed for Sharks rugby.

Siya Kolisi’s contract with Western Province was only due to expire in October, but so desperate was the Springbok captain to join his management company in their new venture at the Sharks that he paid his own early-release fee.

Kolisi’s management company is the U.S.-based Roc Nation and they are one of the partners in MVM Holdings, the new equity partners that have bought a 51% stake in the Sharks and their sizeable investment will see the franchise now being marketed on a global stage. As one of the most recognisable faces in the sport, the World Cup winning captain is obviously a key role-player in those plans.

But while the Sharks are dreaming big, it is ironic that MVM Holdings initially approached Western Province to become equity partners, but they were snubbed. This by a union that is facing a real threat of bankruptcy. Having been vocal in his support of the equity deal, it was always likely that Kolisi would leave the Cape, even though getting an early release from his contract may have cost him as much as a million rand.

“It’s a huge honour and privilege for me to be part of the Sharks, one chapter has closed and I’m looking forward to a new chapter. Western Province offered me an extension but I did not accept it. I decided to leave early so therefore I had to take care of the transfer fee for myself. After 11 years in Cape Town it felt like a really difficult thing, but it felt like the right time for me.

“After the 2015 World Cup, I was going through a really tough time and I wanted to go overseas, but my work off the field is very important to me and it’s rugby that opens up a lot of those opportunities, but then you have to play well on the field. So I decided to stay in South Africa for as long as I can, and I said if I leave Cape Town then Durban is the only place I would go,” Kolisi said.

Kolisi has also been impressed with the Sharks’ style of play.

“The Sharks team is really strong, they have a good kicking game, they’re disciplined and they have the boot of Curwin Bosch. But I love their style when they do move the ball around, they have a strong attacking game. I have to start producing again on the field, and I believe Kings Park has the environment to get me there.”

Kolisi’s family has not yet joined him in Durban because “the kids have just started a new school, the family will come up at the end of the year”.