Embattled Cricket South Africa CEO Gerald Majola, who was appointed when the CSA was in transition, did 'poorly' in his interview for the position, according to a former Board member.
Published: Jan 17, 2012, 12:47 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 17, 2012, 12:47 PM (IST)
Gerald Majola has been embroiled in the financial irregularities regarding the IPL bonuses © Getty Images
Johannesburg: Jan 17, 2012
Embattled Cricket South Africa CEO Gerald Majola, who was appointed when the CSA was in transition, did ‘poorly’ in his interview for the position, according to a former Board member.
Tim Khumalo, a former provincial cricket administrator, told the Nicholson inquiry into the financial affairs of CSA that the board at the time wanted Majola to take over from Dr Ali Bacher despite him doing “done poorly during his interview.”
Khumalo called Majola an ambitious young man whom he had admired and considered to a younger brother but said he had seen a change in the CSA chief executive.
“I don’t know what changed him. Maybe it was power,” Khumalo said.
“I have no axe to grind with Majola. I have known him for a long time. I just want to set the record straight,” Khumalo added.
Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula appointed the committee following almost two years of wrangling over huge 2009 IPL bonuses that Majola paid himself and other CSA staff without informing the board.
IPL II was played in South Africa due to security concerns due to the general elections in India.
When the committee resumed its hearings after a holiday recess, Bacher appeared before it to dismiss claims by Majola late last year that the former cricket boss had received a five million rands bonus for his work on the 2003 World Cup hosted here.
Bacher said he had never worked in cricket for money and that the payment he received was a top-up to his meagre pension when he retired in terms of a board decision.
Khumalo confirmed to the commission that Majola had also been party to the decision at the time, which was made after the board realised that there was no provision for a pension for Bacher.
“(The board) unanimously decided to give him a pension and gift for a job well done. It was the board’s decision. (Bacher) did not come to us with a figure he thought he deserved; we calculated it,” Khumalo said, adding that Bacher had “gracefully accepted it.
“(Majola) was there. He was part of the board that accepted it. I don’t remember one person saying no to the bonus.”
Although an initial CSA internal inquiry largely cleared Majola, a subsequent external inquiry by auditors KPMG found him in breach of the Companies Act.
Majola admitted to the Nicholson inquiry that he did not have enough knowledge of his duties. The committee is expected to wrap up hearings this week and finalise its report by the end of February. (PTI)
