South Africa board dismiss president Nyoka

JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) – Cricket South Africa (CSA) dismissed their president, Mtutuzeli Nyoka, yesterday after a vote of no-confidence at a board meeting.  Nyoka was accused of bringing the CSA into disrepute by ignoring majority decisions made by the board, making unauthorised statements to the media and for irregularities involving his ex-gratia payments.

It is the second time this year Nyoka has been dismissed. In April, the high court in Johannesburg ordered the CSA to reinstate him after it had failed to follow the correct procedure when it passed a vote of no-confidence in February. Nyoka has been highly critical of the behaviour of chief executive Gerald Majola who received a series of unauthorised bonuses, including from the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the ICC Champions Trophy.

Majola was also deemed by an independent investigation to have failed to have honoured the Companies Act and his fiduciary duties as a director.  The CSA board issued Majola with a “severe reprimand” but has declined to make public a report by an independent advocate that had recommended what action to take against the chief executive.

In a statement yesterday the CSA said the vote of no-confidence against Nyoka had been passed “by an overwhelming majority” and that vice-president AK Khan would replace Nyoka on an acting basis until the middle of next year.

Nyoka did not attend the meeting due to ill-health. Both he and Majola deny wrongdoing.

The “bonus scandal” has hit CSA’s image at home, with large companies rescinding sponsorship agreements.
CSA donated the naming rights to the two Pro20 internationals against Australia, the second of which will be played in Johannesburg today, to charity.