Majola banned for one year over bonus scandal

Johannesburg: Cricket South Africa (CSA) suspended chief executive Gerald Majola for one year on Saturday pending a disciplinary hearing in the latest fall-out from a $600,000 bonus scandal.

The unanimous move to ban the 52-year-old official on full pay was made by the CSA board of directors at a meeting in a hotel close to OR Tambo international airport in eastern Johannesburg.

Acting president AK Khan and audit and risks committee chairman John Blair resigned three days ago and CSA brand and corporate relations manager Kass Naidoo stepped down a few hours before the Majola announcement.

A government-initiated inquiry headed by retired judge Chris Nicholson last week recommended prosecutors open a case against Majola over a scandal that has dogged the national cricket body for several years.

Companies have been reluctant to sponsor the national team and tournaments, and sports minister Fikile Mbalula said Friday that CSA needed fresh leadership to create "a new era of hope and clean governance".

Majola and former chief finanical officer Don McIntosh were the alleged main benefactors of secret bonuses paid to CSA employees after South Africa staged the 2009 Indian Premier League (IPL) and ICC Champions Trophy.

The IPL tournament dates clashed with those of elections in India three years ago, raising security concerns and forcing the Twenty20 event to be switched to South Africa.

BDST: 1711 HRS, March 18, 2012