The independent forensic audit into the conduct of Cricket South Africa’s suspended chief executive Thabang Moroe will start early next month and the final report will be made public, according to CSA’s current interim CEO Jacques Faul.
Moroe was suspended on full play in the first week of December 2019 based on reports received by CSA’s Social and Ethics Committee and the Audit and Risk Committee which related to “possible failure of controls in the organisation”.
Faul yesterday confirmed that a draft for the terms of reference for the audit had been sent to the Members Council - the presidents of the 14 provincial affiliates - and that a four-man task team had also been established to appoint a “service provider” and then to draw up a scope, budget and likely time-frame for the audit to take place.
That task team consists of Marius Schoeman and Professor Steve Cornelius, two of the independent directors on CSA’s Board, former Board member Archie Pretorius and the current president of Limpopo Cricket, John Mogodi.
“If it all goes according to plan we are looking at 90 days for the audit, but we have to be flexible. I think one important thing for all of us is that it will be a public report,” said Faul.
A 90-day inquiry would fall in line with CSA’s initial estimates that Moroe would be suspended for six months.
While the men’s senior national team struggle on the field, Cricket SA remains an organisation in crisis as it still attempts to come to terms with huge financial problems, and an inquiry by consultant Dave Richardson into the domestic structure.
It was CSA’s decision last year, to change the domestic format from the current six team one to a 14-team structure that saw the organisation taken to court by the players union, the SA Cricketers Association.
Meanwhile, CSA has also faced public pressure over what has been highlighted as a lack of transformation in the men’s national team, with Faul’s appointment as interim CEO, Graeme Smith as interim Director of Cricket and Mark Boucher as the men’s team’s head coach being viewed as a “whitewash”.
“It was only really the dropping of Temba Bavuma that made everyone says that.
"If you look at the management of the team, it is much different from say 2012 - we have a black assistant coach, a black manager and a black physio,” said Faul.
The selectors have not been helped by the lack of experienced and in-form batsmen in the domestic competition, while an injury to Lungi Ngidi and the suspension of Kagiso Rabada for the fourth Test, won’t help in the current climate either.
Bavuma is likely to be back for the Wanderers Test following his career-best 180 for the Lions in the Four-Day Franchise Challenge, with Zubayr Hamza’s spot under the most threat.
@shockerhess
The Star
Like us on Facebook
Follow
us on Twitter