Former Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) president Zelt Marais says he is appealing against his 10-year ban and suspended R50 000 fine by the South African Rugby Union (Saru).
In an interview with the Cape Times, Marais, who was found guilty on eight charges of misconduct, said his ban was “unlawful and a farce” and maintains, in light of the appeal, that he is still the president of the WPRFU.
“We have appealed (on Thursday last week). It is an entire farce. It’s unlawful and it’s illegal,” Marais said.
“I have been standing up to expose corrupt dealings... I have been vocal about this since the time they put us (WPRFU) under unlawful administration and even before that I have always been vocal in the Saru meetings.”
Marais accused Saru of protecting some officials who he said had serious questions to answer. “Here we have a man who the courts have said is dishonest and cannot be trusted with money.
But Saru protects him and keeps him. I haven’t stolen a cent from anybody and just protecting the assets of the clubs.
(I) have a fiduciary duty as elected president to stand up for what is right and what belongs to the people,” said Marais.
Marais has publicly criticised what he said was Saru’s financial mismanagement for their undervalued equity deal and lack of transparency in efforts to protect club rugby’s sustainable future.
According to IOL, WPRFU was placed under administration in 2021 after the professional arm of WP Rugby was on the brink of bankruptcy following several failed attempts at getting in an equity partner for a much-needed financial injection.
According to Marais, Saru did not want to conclude the transaction at fair market value.
Marais said they “cannot allow that any transactions should be done where the people do not have any information”. “I’m being punished. They want to shut me up. If they want to get rid of me, they will get rid of me,” said Marais.
Marais added that in his years of being vocal about the alleged corruption at Saru, it has been “life-threatening at times”. “We have to live in hope and try to leave a legacy for our people as well,” said Marais.
After the sanction against Marais, a Saru spokesperson said they noted the outcome and that it was not Marais’s first transgression of Saru’s Code of Conduct.
“Marais’s legal counsel advised that he intends to appeal the sanction. The Saru judicial process makes allowance for an appeal. The process is outlined and an independent appeal committee will be constituted to consider the sanction and the appeal notice within the judicial framework.
“Marais’s sanction was based on his incorrect and misleading claim to hold the office of ‘President’ of WPRFU,” the spokesperson said, adding that Marais “has no position at Saru”.
In disciplinary hearing documents, it detailed that “Saru emphasise(d) the seriousness of Marais’s repeated breaches of the Code of Conduct, highlighting the lack of remorse and the continued defiance of Saru’s authority demonstrated in his behaviour and his submissions”.
Saru submitted that the sanction against Marais was made for the “need to protect the integrity of the sport, restore stability to the Western Province rugby administration, and deter similar conduct by other office bearers”.
Marais submitted that “his campaign, however disruptive, was necessary to protect the integrity of the game”.
Cape Times