THE Sports and Recreation Commission yesterday took a giant
step towards resolving the domestic cricket impasse when they agreed to nullify
their decision to suspend the Zimbabwe Cricket board members.
This follows a series of meetings which have been held
since last week. The engagements, which were engineered by Youth, Sport, Arts
and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry, also ended with acting ZC managing
director, Givemore Makoni, bouncing back into his position.
The interim committee that had been running the game
following the suspension of the board, led by Tavengwa Mukuhlani, has now been
dissolved.
What is now left is just for an order, which the SRC have
given their greenlight, to be issued by the Administrative Committee.
The suspended ZC leaders had approached the Admnistrative
Court seeking an order to have their suspension nullified and, with the SRC
agreeing to that, the granting of the order is guaranteed.
The ZC board was suspended by the SRC in June over
allegations of electoral malpractices and financial misappropriation.
But the decision drew a fierce backlash from the ICC who
suspended Zimbabwe from all cricket activities under their auspices.
The ICC also froze funding to Zimbabwe and had given an
ultimatum for the reinstatement of the ZC board, before their next board
meeting set for October 12, where Zimbabwe’s membership will be reviewed.
“On 24th June, 2019, the Applicants in the above matter,
being the Directors of Zimbabwe Cricket, appealed to the Administrative Court
of Zimbabwe, in terms of Section 32 (1) of the Sports and Recreation Commission
Act, against the decision of the SRC to suspend them as Directors.
“Pursuant to formal engagement initiated by the affected
Directors, the SRC is pleased to advise that the above matter, pending before
the Administrative Court of Zimbabwe, has been settled with the parties
thereto, including the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation agreeing
to an Order by Consent.
“Once issued by the Administrative Court, the Order will
have the effect, inter-alia, of lifting the suspension of the Directors of
Zimbabwe Cricket, as well as that of the Acting Managing Director thereof.
“Conversely, and upon such issuance, also by the
Administrative Court, the Interim Committee appointed in terms of Section 30
(2) of the aforesaid Act, and including the interim managing Director, shall
cease to be responsible for the affairs of Zimbabwe Cricket.
“The effective date of these respective occurrences shall
be the date of issuance of the Consent Order by the Registrar of the Administrative
Court of Zimbabwe,” read a statement from the Sports Commission.
The Sports Commission had suspended the ZC board of
directors and its Acting Managing Director, Makoni, acting in terms of Section
30 of the SRC Act [Chapter 25:15] in June pending investigations.
An interim Committee led by Dave Ellman-Brown was appointed
to administer the affairs of ZC until next year while veteran administrator
Vince Hogg was also roped as interim managing director.
Mlotshwa confirmed in writing to ZC that the issues had
been resolved.
“As intimated above, a number of meetings have been held
with representatives of the ZC Board elected on the 14th June, the Minister of
Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation and the Chairman of the SRC.
“Those meetings and deliberations have culminated in an
agreed way forward which does not violate the constitution and statutes of ZC
and the International Cricket Council.
“This letter therefore serves to officially and formally
communicate to ZC the following:
(a)The SRC hereby revokes its suspension of the entire
Board of ZC that was elected on the 14th June 2019.
(b) The SRC herby revokes its suspension of the Acting
Managing Director of ZC.
(c) The SRC hereby disbands and revokes the appointment of
the interim committee which it had appointed to take over and administer the
affairs of ZC.
(d) The SRC confirms that it has directed the interim
Committee and its appointees to forthwith, restore full control of all affairs
of ZC to the elected board of ZC.
“We confirm and restate hereto the commitment of the SRC
that it shall not interfere with the administration of ZC’s affairs without
consent of the International cricket Council.
“It has also been agreed by the parties that all court
proceedings pending and instituted by and against the parties, shall forthwith
be withdrawn,” wrote Mlotshwa to Mukuhlani. Herald
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