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Proteas coach Mark Boucher will be hauled before a disciplinary hearing into allegations of misconduct against him.
Cricket South Africa announced on Thursday that well-respected Senior Counsel, Advocate Terry Motau, will chair the hearing and the parties will meet next week to determine a timetable for the proceedings.
CSA says the disciplinary hearing is a sequel to the Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) report received in December which made tentative findings regarding allegations of discrimination and racism against various persons, including Boucher.
“Specifically, during the SJN process, allegations of racism were levelled against Mr Boucher by his former Proteas teammate, Paul Adams,” said Board Chairperson, Lawson Naidoo.
He said in releasing his report, the Ombudsman, Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza SC, indicated that he was not in a position to make "definite findings" and recommended that a further process be undertaken in this regard.
“In keeping with this approach, the Board was obligated to institute further formal inquiries into CSA employees, suppliers or contractors who are implicated by the SJN report, and this is the first of these processes,” he said.
Naidoo said the CSA Board remains mindful of its duty to treat allegations of racism or discrimination with the utmost seriousness and in a manner that ensures fairness and due process in terms of South Africa’s Constitution and labour legislation.
“It is now up to the inquiry to determine to which extent the allegations are true and justify the need for further disciplinary steps,” he explained.
A charge sheet was presented to Boucher on Monday while the upcoming inquiry will also consider concerns and allegations that arose following the resignation of former assistant coach, Enoch Nkwe.
“While Mr Boucher is being charged with gross misconduct, which could lead to his dismissal, CSA emphasises it is important that the independent inquiry first needs to test all allegations before any question of sanction can arise,” Naidoo said.
