Nenzani promises progress on probe

“Immediately we have enough [evidence] we are going to take action, and that action is going to ensure that CSA is protected. We are not running away from that. That will happen.” - Chris Nenzani on the state of the forensic investigation into CSA’s board and chief executive.

TELFORD VICE | Cape Town

THERE would seem to be light at the end of the long, dark tunnel that is the probe into the performance of Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) board and the conduct of chief executive Thabang Moroe. The saga has been a yoke around the neck of the game since Moroe was suspended on claims of misconduct in the first week of December, hampering CSA’s ability to secure sponsors even as the public’s confidence in their ability to run cricket in the country dwindles.

And it seems the chilliness of a winter’s morning last week contributed to the narrative of one of the most damaging episodes in the already winding, potholed road cricket has walked in South Africa.

But, during an online press conference on Tuesday, CSA president Chris Nenzani said progress was in sight: “We have been promised by the investigating company that the first part of the preliminary report from the forensic investigation will be given to CSA by this Friday. I have every confidence that by the end of the month we will be able to refer the final report to the members council to decide on the way forward.”

He returned to the point several times in almost an hour in his first press conference since December 7, first saying: “The outcome of the investigation will determine the course of action we need to take. I’m hoping that by Friday part one of that report would be received, and therefore we will take the steps going forward.” Then: “The outcome of the investigation will determine the course of action we need to take. I’m hoping that by Friday part one of that report would be received, and therefore we will take the steps going forward.”

Thus warmed up like an old-fashioned Baptist preacher, Nenzani stoked the coals with the promise of imminent action: “Thabang has not appeared before a disciplinary committee. That decision will be taken when we receive the report from the forensic auditors, to quantify what could be the issue he could have to answer. He is suspended so that we have an opportunity to have enough information so that when we deal with this matter we are not doing so in a way that is half-cooked.

“Whether or not he should have resigned, that is his decision to make. Whether or not CSA is going to charge him, that is a decision that CSA has to make. And that decision will be made within the next few days; immediately we have received that report.

“Immediately we have enough we are going to take action, and that action is going to ensure that CSA is protected. We are not running away from that. That will happen.”

Hallelujah! Praise the process! What’s taking it so long?

“The forensic audit company was appointed towards the end of February and started work in March. This was not by design but because the processes that you needed to go through needed to be very elaborate and conclusive. This audit must also look into the decision-making within the board itself, therefore the members council [CSA’s highest authority, which is flawed by the fact that it includes several board members] needed to be the appointing authority in this instance. That, together with some of the matters that related to the experience of the [coronavirus pandemic] lockdown, would have delayed things quite a lot.”

Dealing with the frustration the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) expressed on the subject last week, Nenzani said: “I’m sure SACA will appreciate that you cannot be cavalier about how you address these matters, because if you do so and you rush things you’re exposing yourself to a charge of procedural unfairness. The delay is not to the benefit of CSA, our supporters, or the players that SACA represents — who are very important stakeholders within CSA, because the players there is no CSA. In the coming few weeks there will be very clear on the process going forward. We understand the unhappiness on the part of some of our stakeholders but very few people would have wanted us to flout procedures. We wanted to ensure that the process we are putting in place ticks all the boxes.”

Once all the boxes have been ticked, all reports have been received and reconciled, and all actions taken, how much of what the investigators discovered will CSA put into the public domain?

“The members council is the final owner of that report, and it will direct how that report is shared with the public. We had made a commitment that the contents of the report — not necessarily the [entire] report but the key aspects — will be made public.”

Cricketminded South Africans will now better than to expect significant official illumination on an already strange story took one of its odder twists last Thursday morning when Moroe appeared to stage a stunt at CSA’s offices in Johannesburg. Despite still being suspended — on full pay of more than USD20,000 per month, mind — he tried to report for duty. Moroe had his picture taken at the front gate, which duly appeared on social media. How much further did he get?

“The office was locked, because there’s nobody in the office because everybody’s working from home [because of Covid-19],” Nenzani said. “It was cold outside, and when I was informed he was outside wanting to come in I said he should be allowed into the building. That did not mean he was not on suspension. His suspension letter is very clear that his suspension is linked to the investigation that is ongoing.”

All good. Except that CSA’s disciplinary code says: “The purpose of suspension is exclusively to protect CSA against any damage that may be caused by the continued presence of such an employee in the workplace‚ especially in relation to the possible destruction of evidence or influencing of colleagues regarding their possible testimony at a disciplinary hearing.”

What did Moroe do during his time at CSA’s offices? “I don’t what he did but he could not get into the office,” Nenzani said. “He only had access to the perimeter of the building. He could not get inside.”

Nenzani has been inside, as CSA’s president, since February 2013. In 2019 the constitution was changed to grant him an additional year in office after his two allotted three-year terms. He should vacate his position at CSA’s annual meeting on September 5. “Looking back, I regret taking that decision,” he said of the unprecedented extension. “But it is because of how I view leadership. To me, election to an office or a position is an obligation to serve the people who elect you. Therefore, when they say, ‘Please continue’, you subject yourself to that directive.”

On that subject, the International Cricket Council will elect a new chair in July. Graeme Smith, CSA’s director of cricket, put noses out of joint on May 21 when he punted Sourav Ganguly for the position. Nenzani, sources have told Cricbuzz, is keen on the job. Is he?

“Unfortunately my answer to that question might not make you happy,” he said. “The ICC has placed a moratorium on whether people express their desire or not, because the ICC has not opened the process of nominations. For instance, next week Thursday the ICC is going to meet to discuss two things. You have the challenges created by Covid-19, so the ICC is looking at business continuity contingencies that will include some of its events in the near future. Secondly, the change of chairmanship. So the ICC needs to agree on a process. The constitution of the ICC enjoins the board of the ICC to agree on a process, and once that process has been agreed to then the board can declare that nominations will be open at a certain point. Then people will be able to say, yes I wish to stand, no I don’t wish to stand. At this point in time it would be premature for me to make any pronouncement.”

That’s a long and winding way of not saying no.

First published by Cricbuzz.