CSA embroiled in another bonus scandal: report

Johannesburg: A month after the IPL bonus case rocked Cricket South Africa, the board appears to be embroiled in another scandal with allegations that top officials, including chief executive Gerald Majola, received remunerations of more than what was prescribed to them.

A report in the Sunday Times said that Majola, CSA Corporate Relations manager Kass Naidoo and Nassei Appiah had awarded themselves bonuses that exceeded the acceptable amounts prescribed by remunerations committee. © AFP

A report in the Sunday Times said that Majola, CSA Corporate Relations manager Kass Naidoo and Nassei Appiah had awarded themselves bonuses that exceeded the acceptable amounts prescribed by remunerations committee.
"At the June 6 CSA board meeting it came to light that Majola, Kass Naidoo and Nassei Appiah had effectively awarded themselves bonuses - or been awarded bonuses in the case of Naidoo and Appiah - without the board being in possession of all the relevant facts," the newspaper said.
"In CEO Majola's case the bonus payments amount to R1.4-million, while Naidoo and Appiah received R200000 and R300000 respectively. Appiah, the organisation's chief financial officer, has worked for CSA for less than a year.
Along with his generous bonus, he also received an 11 per cent salary increase," it said.
"The figures presented to the board on Monday were flawed. It was only when these bonus figures were interrogated that it came to light on Wednesday that the monies had not only already been paid, but exceeded the acceptable amounts prescribed by the remunerations committee."
The report said that Thendeka Mgoduso, head of remunerations committee, has been "asked to prepare a report".
The latest scandal came after allegations of financial irregularities involving payment of bonuses during the hosting of Champions League Twenty20 in 2009 which led to a clash between Majola and CSA chief Mtutuzeli Nyoka.
Majola had failed to clear Rand 3.8 million in bonus payments with the CSA remuneration committee.
CSA said that the money had been held on behalf of the Indian Premier League when South Africa hosted the Champions League Twenty20 in 2009.
After an internal investigation, Majola received a slap on the wrist for failing to clear the bonus payments with the CSA remunerations committee, but was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Nyoka had called for an independent investigation by an external committee but CSA decided on an internal probe and Nyoka was removed as head of the board after a no confidence motion.
He was later re-instated by a High Court order which the CSA had to abide by. The CSA also agreed to undergo a full forensic audit which Nyoka had been demanding.

PTI