JOHANNESBURG – Despite objections from its Members Council, Cricket SA on Wednesday evening, confirmed that the organisation’s former president Norman Arendse had been appointed as one of eight independent directors for its new board.
The confirmation followed a brief reconvening of CSA’s Annual General Meeting, where Muhammad Seedat, the chairperson of the Independent Nominations Panel, read the full list of new independent directors, which included Arendse’s name.
On Saturday, Boland Cricket president Angelo Carolissen, initially objected to Arendse’s name appearing on the Nomination Panel list, receiving support from the rest of the Members Council. Seedat then diplomatically announced that his panel would reconsider, but less than two days later, informed to the Members Council - the 14 provincial presidents - that Arendse met all the necessary criteria to serve on the Board as an independent director.
According to Cricket SA’s new president, Rihan Richards, there were two specific concerns.
“We wanted an understanding from the panel if consideration was given to the fact that Advocate Arendse was the Lead Independent Director during the period of the appointment of Thabang Moroe as CEO and the creation of the Global League T20 tournament. And secondly the utterances he made regarding CSA during the period he was off the board.”
Arendse served as president from 2007 to 2009 and later was an independent director following the Nicholson Commission in 2012.
In terms of CSA’s new Memorandum of Incorporation, the new independent directors, for the transition period, will be appointed and not elected. That left the Members Council, with no wiggle room other than to object.
Also on Wednesday, CSA confirmed it’s new Audit, Governance and Risk Committee, which will be made up of four of the independent directors; Steven Budlender, Lawson Naidoo, Dugmore Lushaba and Mark Rayner. Naidoo, the Executive Secretary of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution, was appointed as that Committee’s chairman.
The new Board must elect a chairperson soon, and will oversee the next AGM in September.
Cricket SA Board of Directors: - Independent Members: Steven Budlender, Andrew Hudson, Dugmore Lushaba, Lawson Naidoo, Andisa Ntsubane, Mark Rayner, Muditambi Ravele, Norman Arendse. Non-independent members: Daniel Govender, John Mogodi, Craig Nel, Tebogo Siko, Simphiwe Ndzundzu.
IOL Sport