CSA has ushered in a new, majority independent board to bring an end to the tenure of the ministerially appointed interim board, which has been in charge since November last year. The new board comprises seven independent directors and five non-independents - who were chosen from the provincial presidents that sit on the members' council - but a chair has yet to be confirmed.
The other independent directors are former CSA president Norman Arendse, former convener of selectors Andrew Hudson, advocate Steven Budlender SC, Dugmore Lushaba, who has experience on several boards, marketing and communications expert Andisa Ntsubane, former Multichoice (sub-Saharan African video entertainment company) CEO Mark Rayner, and Muditambi Ravele, a sports administrator previously involved in boxing, netball and tennis. Daniel Govender of Kwa-Zulu Natal, John Mogodi of Limpopo Province, Craig Nel of the Mpumalanga Cricket Union, Tebogo Siko of Northerns and Simphiwe Ndzundzu of Border make up the non-independent directors. CSA's acting CEO Pholetsi Moseki and acting CFO Christelle Janse van Rensburg make up the last two positions on the 14-member board, which will serve till September, when CSA is due to hold its scheduled AGM.
The new structure diminishes the representation and power of the members' council, the 14-member body made of provincial presidents who had resisted a majority independent board for almost a decade. However, the CSA president and vice-president, largely ceremonial roles and individuals who will not sit on the new board, were chosen from the members' council. Rihan Richards, who has been acting president of the council throughout the interim board's tenure, was elected president and Donovan May, from Eastern Province, his deputy.
CSA also reported a loss of Rand 250 million (US$ 17.8 million) in the 2020-2021 financial year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and tour cancellations. England left South Africa last December after playing three T20Is but the three ODIs did not go ahead as scheduled after breaches of the bio-secure environment. Australia, who were scheduled to play two Tests in South Africa in March, did not tour at all. South Africa were also hopeful of hosting India for three T20Is last August, which did not happen. Those matches are due to take place in India in September this year, ahead of the T20 World Cup, but that might depend on the schedule for the resumption of the IPL. However, CSA is hopeful of a full summer schedule this year, which should see India visit for three Tests over the festive period.
Perhaps more importantly, CSA can look forward to a more stable period of governance with the new board adopting a memorandum of incorporation, which guarantees the independent component of the board and chair.
"It is highly appropriate that we have reached this historic moment in the transformation of our governance model as we prepared to celebrate the 30th birthday of Cricket South Africa (CSA) or the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) as it was originally known in just over two weeks' time," outgoing interim board chair Stavros Nicolaou said. "Our new Memorandum of Incorporation is a document we can all embrace with pride as it puts us in a position to execute the best governance practices that will make CSA able to stand comparison with any other sporting organisation around the globe. It is a world-class document."
Among the new board's most pressing tasks will be to oversee the conclusion of former acting CEO Kugandrie Govender's disciplinary proceedings and to advertise for and appoint a permanent CEO. CSA have not had a permanent CEO since Thabang Moroe was suspended in December 2019. They are on their third acting CEO since.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa correspondent
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