Cape Town – Sponsors Momentum will remain with Cricket South Africa (CSA), but have issued the country’s cricket board with an ultimatum.

Momentum currently sponsor one-day cricket in South Africa, including the Proteas’ One-Day Internationals and the domestic One-Day Cup.

They also sponsor the Momentum National Club Championship and the official Momentum schools weeks for the U13, U15 and U17 age groups.

CSA has been the spotlight over the last few weeks with their ongoing boardroom woes, which has seen suspension of former CEO Thabang Moroe.

Last week Standard Bank, who are title sponsors of the men’s national Test and ODI side confirmed that will not renew their deal when their contract expires in April next year.

Momentum released a press release on Thursday stating that they were concerned by the “negative impact of CSA’s actions”.

Head of sponsorships at Momentum, Carel Bosman, confirmed that they had talks with various CSA heads including new acting CEO Jacques Faul.

“We’ve had various conversations with cricket leadership, including the acting CEO, Jacques Faul, as well as Kugandrie Govender (Head: Commercial, CSA). We have outlined very specific governance and reputational requirements that CSA has to deliver on in order to restore confidence in the administrating body of South African cricket,” said Bosman.

“We will be holding the CSA board accountable to get its house in order. Failing such remedy, Momentum will have to reconsider its sponsorship agreement at the end of the current season.”

Last week, CSA president Chris Nenzani confirmed that the entire board will remain and will “hope to turn CSA around”.

Calls for the entire board to be removed have been expressed by the Central Gauteng Lions Cricket Board, the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) and now by Momentum.

Deputy CEO of Momentum Metropolitan, Jeanette Marais, included their requirements that CSA need to address “without delay and complete them by the end of this current season” (April 30, 2020):

– Resignation of the current Board of CSA (alternatively resignation of the current president and vice-president) in order to address the leadership crisis at CSA;

– An independent forensic audit of the financial affairs of CSA, including management of expense accounts;

– A four-year going concern assessment to be conducted by independent auditors;

– Appointment of a lead independent director to the CSA Board with relevant experience;

– Appointment of an independent director to the CSA Board with on-field cricket experience; and

– Active engagement with SACA with a view to positively resolving outstanding issues of dispute (given that they are a critical stakeholder in the game)

Momentum ended their press release by hoping “CSA will act decisively and with transparency so that cricket in South Africa can move forward”.

– Compiled by Lynn Butler