Arendse quits CSA president post

CSA president Norman Arendse resigned with immediate effect, citing "a lack of trust" within the organisation.


Arendse,
who also resigned as CSA's representative on the International Cricket
Council, claims he did not have the support of CSA chief executive
Gerald Majola or the country's cricket franchises.Earlier in the
week media reports suggested the 11 South African provinces were
preparing to remove Arendse as CSA president just one year into his
three-year term.CSA is preparing to merge its professional and
amateur bodies in the next two weeks, a move which will give way to
elections to select new officials.Arendse was set to square off with Gauteng province chief Mtutuzeli Nyoka for the presidency of the restructured organisation."It
is important that the person who presides over cricket in our country
enjoys the full trust and confidence of his chief executive officer and
all 11 affiliates who are the custodians of the game. Currently, I
enjoy neither," Arendse said in a statement."And it does not
assist me that I may enjoy constitutional protection against my removal
at this stage until my three year-term ends in August 2010."The
truth of the matter is that although I was returned unopposed as
president of Cricket South Africa in August 2007 for a three-year term,
I never at any stage enjoyed the full trust and confidence of the CEO,
and all 11 affiliates."The CEO is of the view that the president
is merely a ceremonial head there to preside over meetings, and to
attend matches, and functions."By contrast, I hold the view that
the CEO is employed by the Board, and is accountable to it. The
president, in between meetings, stands in the shoes of the employer
(the Board), and the CEO is accountable to him."As a consequence of these sharply contrasting positions, the relationship between the CEO and I, has broken down irretrievably."Should
we continue in this way, there is a real danger that cricket may be
plunged into a crisis, and the game be brought into disrepute."In
these circumstances, it has become untenable for me to continue
presiding over CSA as its president. Accordingly, I have decided to
resign with immediate effect."Arendse said that his successor
must continue to strive for transformation of the game, which was at
the heart of his agenda while in office but also the cause of much of
the friction between the outgoing president and the provinces."Since
unity in 1992, those affiliates who continue steadfastly to support me
... have traditionally been the affiliates that are supportive of
transformation in cricket as they come from the non-racial fold,"
Arendse continued."The other affiliates have battled to come to
terms with transformation and, in some instances, transformation is
completely lacking and remains a foreign concept."The charges
against me appear to be my transformation agenda, and my demand of the
CEO that he be accountable to me in my representative capacity as the
president of the Board."I plead guilty to both charges, and have nothing to say in mitigation of sentence."He
added: "It is my sincere wish and desire that my successor pursues this
vision with passion, commitment, honesty and integrity."Although
we must strive for unity in cricket, we can only achieve real unity
once we rid the game of self-serving administrators, those who seek to
preserve the status quo (based on inequality and privilege), and those
who continually manipulate the historical divisions in sport."CSA chief Majola responded swiftly to the allegations made by Arendse in his resignation statement."It
is with surprise and regret that I received the news of Mr Norman
Arendse's resignation as President of Cricket South Africa, as he gave
no prior indication that he was going," Majola said."It is also
with surprise and regret that I have learnt that he has cited
irretrievable differences between us as one of the reasons for his
resignation."The differences between us were of management style, and hardly irretrievable in my view."I
also question Mr Arendse's statement that I do not respect the office
of the President. However, I respect Mr Arendse's decision to resign."