Suspended CSA CEO Majola wants R4 million golden handshake

Johannesburg: Suspended Cricket South Africa chief executive officer Gerald Majola wants a 4 million Rand golden handshake from the Board to part ways, a report claimed on Sunday.

Majola`s lawyer Pumezo David told a leading daily that a settlement offer had been put to CSA, but would not divulge the details. But, CSA`s lawyers say it is unlikely to accept the offer and will continue with Majola`s long-delayed disciplinary hearing, to be held next month, as recommended by Nicholson Inquiry and demanded by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula. Majola was charged by the Nicholson Inquiry as having breached his fiduciary duties by paying huge unauthorised bonuses to himself and other CSA staff for the IPL 2 which was played in South Africa due to security concerns around elections at that time in India. Mbalula instituted the Nicholson Inquiry after almost two years of wrangling at CSA which saw President Mtutuzeli Nyoka ousted twice for challenging the bonuses. Nicholson not only recommended the disciplinary action by CSA, but also the investigation of possible criminal charges against Majola. Although Majola and CSA agreed at a mediation meeting last month that it would be in the best interests of both parties to settle the debacle, the Board is unlikely to accede to the latest demand, which is equivalent to two years` salary for Majola. Mbalula has already made it clear publicly that CSA should try to recover the unauthorised bonuses. But, Mbalula`s adviser Justin de Allende told the daily that "the matter has nothing to do with the ministry, it`s between the CSA and Majola". Majola`s disciplinary hearing, which CSA had initially indicated would be finalised by the end of March this year, has been dragging on after various technical objections. Last month Advocate Karel Tip was appointed by the Johannesburg Bar Council to chair the hearing after advocate John Myburgh stepped down following calls by Majola`s legal team because Myburgh had made a non-binding advisory award in favour of CSA even before the hearing started. PTI