Reacting to the petition, May said, “When I lobbied for support during my campaign for presidency in 2018, I met with a few clubs in the township areas. There were about four or five members there.
“I made it very clear that should I remain as president [of EP cricket] and should I get elected onto the CSA board, I might have to stand down but only if a resolution that was proposed by a transformation indaba in August last year was passed at the AGM, which needed a 75% majority vote.
“It did not get the 75% majority vote, because an indaba cannot make resolutions to an AGM. Only a board and the President’s Council can make those decisions, so that matter had to been rescinded.
“So my position as EP Cricket president remains as is and my position as a director in CSA remains as is,” May said.
Asked what would happen if their requests were not met, Nondlwana said they would regroup and find a way forward.
“We are hoping and praying that they do attend to it because the challenge with that not happening is that it could hinder the game.
“It states in our grievances that we have no confidence in this current board as it stands, remember. You cannot singularly remove the president alone, because he is a leader within leaders.
“So whatever things we have placed down that are not happening properly in the company, they are all part and parcel of that.
“Which means if his [May] management is not right, they were following that management so to them it was business as usual, everything was fine. Hence, we cannot single out individuals,” Nondlwana said.
“We not asking for something sinister. We are saying we don’t have any confidence in you, we would like to have new blood. Someone who can say this is where we are going and this is how we going to get there. We have no vision as a company, the last time we had that was in 2005, it's almost 14 years later, it’s absurd.”
List of clubs who signed the petition: Motherwell, KwaDwesi, United Brothers, Addo Windies, Magala Hawks, Wells Estate, Walmer, Coega Titans, Kwanobuhle Stars, Mighty Strikers, Eleven Stars, Hankey, Loerie, Koukamma Titans, Humansdorp, Clarkson, Joubertina, Kareedouw, Livvies, Extension United, Helenvale, Windvogel, Schauderville, Northern Cavaliers, Makana Sona, Early Birds, Rainbows
Disgruntled EP cricket clubs want president Donovan May to resign
Image: Amir Chetty
A group of disgruntled cricket clubs handed over a petition to Eastern Province Cricket on Tuesday, calling for the resignation of its president Donovan May.
The #SaveEPCricket campaign that involves May’s removal among other demands was led by Motherwell Cricket Club chairman Sipho Nondlwana, who delivered a petition signed by 27 clubs to EP chief executive Mark Williams at St George’s Park.
There are 76 clubs in the Nelson Mandela Bay and Sarah Baartman areas.
The call for the president to vacate his position comes after he was appointed as a non-independent director of Cricket South Africa’s board earlier this year.
Nondlwana, who was joined by 10 other club individuals on Tuesday, also gave Williams a list of around 35 grievances they have with EP Cricket.
The grievances include matters involving the daily running of the EP Cricket Board, the resignation of the entire board, employees and procurement issues, development and a multitude of general club cricket frustrations. They also want to see the South African National Civic Organisation have representation on the board.
Williams said the list and petition would be presented to the EP Cricket Board who would then respond accordingly.
Reacting to the petition, May said, “When I lobbied for support during my campaign for presidency in 2018, I met with a few clubs in the township areas. There were about four or five members there.
“I made it very clear that should I remain as president [of EP cricket] and should I get elected onto the CSA board, I might have to stand down but only if a resolution that was proposed by a transformation indaba in August last year was passed at the AGM, which needed a 75% majority vote.
“It did not get the 75% majority vote, because an indaba cannot make resolutions to an AGM. Only a board and the President’s Council can make those decisions, so that matter had to been rescinded.
“So my position as EP Cricket president remains as is and my position as a director in CSA remains as is,” May said.
Asked what would happen if their requests were not met, Nondlwana said they would regroup and find a way forward.
“We are hoping and praying that they do attend to it because the challenge with that not happening is that it could hinder the game.
“It states in our grievances that we have no confidence in this current board as it stands, remember. You cannot singularly remove the president alone, because he is a leader within leaders.
“So whatever things we have placed down that are not happening properly in the company, they are all part and parcel of that.
“Which means if his [May] management is not right, they were following that management so to them it was business as usual, everything was fine. Hence, we cannot single out individuals,” Nondlwana said.
“We not asking for something sinister. We are saying we don’t have any confidence in you, we would like to have new blood. Someone who can say this is where we are going and this is how we going to get there. We have no vision as a company, the last time we had that was in 2005, it's almost 14 years later, it’s absurd.”
List of clubs who signed the petition: Motherwell, KwaDwesi, United Brothers, Addo Windies, Magala Hawks, Wells Estate, Walmer, Coega Titans, Kwanobuhle Stars, Mighty Strikers, Eleven Stars, Hankey, Loerie, Koukamma Titans, Humansdorp, Clarkson, Joubertina, Kareedouw, Livvies, Extension United, Helenvale, Windvogel, Schauderville, Northern Cavaliers, Makana Sona, Early Birds, Rainbows
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