Ngconde Balfour laments the current state of Cricket South Africa

Former Sports minister Ngconde Balfour has joined a group of Border legends who have lamented the current state of Cricket South Africa in light of the raft of resignations experienced by the organisation last week.

Balfour‚ who was the Sports minister from 1999 to 2004 where he replaced the late Steve Tshwete‚ said CSA needs to seek advice from elders in order for them to navigate themselves out of their current troubles.

The erstwhile government official‚ who was the sports minister when South Africa cricket was engulfed by the Hansie Cronje match-fixing saga in 2000‚ added that he respected the office of the sports minister.

“It’s a messy situation that CSA finds them in. It’s a very big mess. They need to seek advice and help from the elders‚ those who were able to negotiate tough times before. Graeme Smith recently called me and seeked advice for this current situation. I’m not going to go into detail with what he said‚ but he seeked advice‚” Balfour said.

“I also have to respect the office of the sports minister. We may not be peers and I served my term in full‚ but I have to respect the office of the minister in the same way the office was respected in my time.”

In a statement‚ a group of Border cricket legends consisting of former Lions chief executive officer Greg Fredericks‚ former CSA board member Solomon Phango‚ former national selector Luxolo Qoboshiyane‚ former Border Cricket Board presidents Vido Mgadle and Shepherd Ngcaba and former CSA president Ray Mali said they’re ready to lend a helping hand if CSA requires it.

"Cricket is in the media for all the reasons that have exposed what has really going on in the sport we played‚ administered and are passionate about.

"We have decided that this will no longer be tolerated and the wrongs that have come to light must be addressed and corrected immediately! Our convictions will not allow us to witness these injustices and for us to keep quiet‚" the statement said.

“We are extremely concerned about the damage that is being done to cricket through the numerous issues that seem to plague our sport. We believe that we can contribute to the discussion that may provide direction to take cricket out of the abyss it currently finds itself in.”