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Cricket South Africa said it would be instituting a formal inquiry into the conduct of the Director of Cricket Graeme Smith and Proteas coach, Mark Boucher.
This after CSA received the Social Justice and Nation Building report last week, with Ombudsman making “tentative findings” regarding allegations of discrimination and racism.
In a statement on Monday, CSA said, however, that the Ombudsman 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 has decided to institute formal inquiries into CSA employees, suppliers or contractors who are implicated by the SJN report,” said CSA Board chairperson, Lawson Naidoo.
He said the Board had done so 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 labour legislation and the Constitution.
Naidoo said the inquiry will take place early in the New Year and “they will include formal inquiries into the conduct of Graeme Smith, the CSA Director of Cricket, and Mark Boucher, the coach of the Proteas Men’s team.”
He said the Ombudsman’s Report included findings that Smith and Boucher had acted “in a prejudicial or discriminatory manner.”
Naidoo said both Smith and Boucher will remain in their positions and will continue to carry out their duties during the India tour.
“CSA respects the SJN process and we are engaging with the report in detail and holistically. We have taken careful cognisance of the recommendation of the Ombudsman, that in appropriate cases, a further process should be instituted to test the evidence and submissions made, and we have decided that this is indeed the appropriate route to follow,” he said.
“We hope this will give implicated parties a fair opportunity to be heard so that finality can be achieved, and any final findings can then be acted on.”
