CSA to begin formal inquiries against Smith, Boucher over SJN report

Cricket South Africa (CSA) are set to begin formal inquiries into the conduct of director of cricket Graeme Smith and head coach Mark Boucher over the findings in the Social Justice and Nation Building (SJN) report.

The formal inquiries will begin early next year, giving Smith and Boucher the opportunity to carry on their duties for the upcoming home series against India.  The ombudsman report had claimed that Smith and Boucher had acted in a 'prejudicial or discriminatory manner' against many black players during their tenures as players and possibly in any other capacity they may have held in the past. 

Former players like AB de Villiers too have been accused of acting in a similar manner, something that the player has denied.

“CSA respects the SJN process and we are engaging with the report in detail and holistically. We have taken careful cognisance of the recommendation of the Ombudsman, that in appropriate cases, a further process should be instituted to test the evidence and submissions made, and we have decided that this is indeed the appropriate route to follow,” says CSA Board chairperson, Lawson Naidoo.

 “We hope this will give implicated parties a fair opportunity to be heard so that finality can be achieved, and any final findings can then be acted on,” he says.

Smith has been accused of blocking Thami Tsolikele's entry into the after an eye injury ended Boucher's career prematurely. Boucher, on the other hand, has apologised for his role in playing along with his teammates for calling Paul Adams 'brown shit' in the dressing room.