SJN's 235-page final report claims CSA racially discriminated players

As per the Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) commission final report, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has been found to have unfairly discriminated against its players on the basis of their race. The CSA received a 235-page report in which ombudsman Dumisa Ntsebeza stated that the administration, the former captain and current director Graeme Smith, current head coach Mark Boucher, and former batter AB de Villiers were all involved in the same.

The board also confirmed that the entire process of the Social Justice and Nation-Building cost the organization R7.5 million (US$500,000). The process was initially supposed to be four months long but was extended to over six. However, according to CSA, the process was both necessary and productive.

Lawson Naidoo, the CSA board chairperson opened up on the entire matter. He stated that no decisions are yet taken on any issues raised in the report. He added that the SJN was an important process and that is why the board backed it.

“The board is still considering the report. It is a hefty document and needs a holistic response. No decisions have been taken on any issues raised in the report and it would be premature to speculate on any action that may be taken. The board has got to look at the report in its entirety and engage with it seriously. This will be a continuation of what we are already doing. Overall, the SJN was an important process and that’s why the board backed it all the way. It is now the responsibility of the board to engage with the report,” Lawson Naidoo, the CSA board chairperson, told ESPNcricinfo.

Wholly supported the aims of CSA’s Social Justice and Nation Building process: AB de Villiers 

Paul Adams had previously stated that he was nicknamed “b**** s***” by his national teammates. Mark Boucher had thus previously admitted that he was amongst the ones who sang a song that included the slur.

During South Africa’s tour to India in 2015, Khaya Zondo was part of the Proteas setup. However after JP Duminy was injured for the last match, Dean Elgar was selected over Zondo. Hussein Manack, the selector on tour at the time in a testimony given to the SJN said that he was forced to take the decision by then-ODI captain AB de Villiers.

Opening up on the same de Villiers asserted, “Wholly supported the aims of Cricket South Africa’s Social Justice and Nation Building process, to ensure equal opportunities in our game. However, throughout my career, I expressed honest cricketing opinions only ever based on what I believed was best for the team, never based on anyone’s race. That’s the fact.”