Fikile Mbalula, the sports minister for South Africa has intimidated the cricket team skipper Graeme Smith to stay away from politics and to pay attention to his game instead.
Mbalula gave this statement while reacting to a statement which had been released by the Cricket South Africa two days ago and in which the South African captain had extended his complete support to Gerald Majola, the chief executive of the CSA after Mtutuzeli Nyoka, the president of the Cricket South Africa had accused Majola of lying to him over the bonuses which had been paid by the IPL to his staff last year.
Intervening into the matter, and while responding to the statement given by the SA skipper in which he had said that “Mjola has always backed the team to the hilt in every possible way”, the minister said in a radio program, “Graeme Smith is a great captain. We get disturbed when players get to be drawn into internal wrangling and squabbles within the top management and the board. This has applied to every aspect of the game whether it be human resources, facilities or anything else. The players have great faith in him and he must take his share of the credit for the success we have enjoyed over the last period of time.”
Things seemed getting worse when later on Mohammad Moosaje, the team manager of the team also opted to endorse Smith’s views.
Airing his views in a media release, Moosajee had said, “Gerald has been a pillar of strength to the team at all times and has an excellent working relationship both with myself and other senior members of management as well as with Graeme and the players.”
According to the inside sources, both team manager and skipper were not themselves willing to speak out, rather they were asked to do so. Moreover, most of the team members did not feel happy for the statements which had been issued on their behalf. This was like taking a clear side in a battle which was taking place within leadership of the Cricket South Africa.
The controversy which had eventually emerged within the CSA came to an end when all the eleven provincial cricket unions expressed their no-confidence upon the president and asked him to step down from the post. This had clearly ended the relationships between Nyoka and Majola.
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