At an extraordinary meeting of its board in Johannesburg, CSA revealed it had decided “to institute an external investigation including a forensic audit” in response to the reports of financial irregularities. Allegations have also emerged that improper bonuses were paid to CSA executives.
The audit will be carried out by an independent accounting firm, which is expected to be named next week. On Wednesday, the troubled body also confirmed the reinstatement of Nyoka, who was removed as CSA president after making the original allegations, only for the South Gauteng High Court to rule last month that his sacking was illegal.
Nyoka, who was sacked after a vote of no confidence in February, alleged in court papers that funds went missing from CSA's accounts following the 2009 Indian Premier League, which was staged in South Africa after terrorist attacks in Mumbai forced the Twenty20 competition to be shifted from India. CSA has denied any wrongdoing and insisted the money did not appear in its regular accounts because it belonged to IPL organisers.
“The board has agreed, in the interests of cricket, to abide the judgment handed down,” read a CSA statement released after Wednesday’s meeting. “Accordingly, Dr Nyoka has been reinstated as president and chairman of the board of directors with immediate effect. The meeting unanimously agreed to abandon any appeal process in relation to the judgment.”
Nyoka (pictured) had long called for an external audit into the national cricket body's accounts and also questioned the bonuses reportedly paid to chief executive Gerald Majola and other CSA staff. “It is a great outcome for all concerned, especially cricket,” Nyoka told The Associated Press. “It (an external audit) is something I have been consistent about.”
