Hearing against Majola may be delayed

Cricket South Africa (CSA) may miss its self-imposed deadline of end of May for the finalisation of a disciplinary hearing against suspended chief executive Gerald Majola.

Majola is to be charged in the wake of the Nicholson inquiry instituted by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula after nearly two years of wrangling at CSA over huge IPL 2 bonuses that Majola paid himself and other CSA staff, without informing the board.

The inquiry found that Majola had breached his fiduciary duties and recommended his suspension pending a disciplinary hearing, as well as the investigation of possible criminal charges against him.

Nicholson inquiry instituted by South Africa\'s Sports Minister may miss its deadline of end of May.

Mohsina Chenia, a director at Glyn Marais, CSA's attorneys, said that the fact that the chairman of the hearing, advocate John Myburgh, had yet to give the parties a date made it difficult to say how soon the issue might be resolved.

"We want to get started as quickly as possible, but we are in the hands of the chairperson as far as dates are concerned. We do understand that [CSA acting president] Willie Basson is keen to have it finalised by the end of May. I don't know if that is realistic, but it will have at least commenced by then," These processes are determined by what is in dispute and by the respective senior counsels. Our instructions are to push the process,” she said.

Chenia would not give any details of the charges that are to be put to Majola, citing the confidentiality of the internal disciplinary process. But the lawyer did say that the CSA team would be guided by the Nicholson report.

"We are quite positive of our chances of success, certainly based on Nicholson's report. He was very clear about what he had discovered. We are fairly confident of the charges being proved at the disciplinary hearing," said Chenia.

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