Northern Cape Cricket directors fail to attend disciplinary hearings in full

After unsuccessful court attempts to halt their disciplinary hearings, two suspended Northern Cape Cricket (NCC) executives, Thapelo January (CEO) and Mbulelo Bosman (former director) did not attend their Cricket South Africa (CSA) hearings in full on 28 and 29 October.

NCC confirmed to NoordkaapBulletin that the hearings proceeded as scheduled, overseen by independent chairpersons appointed by Tokiso, “a reputable dispute resolution company”.

The chairpersons, senior legal practitioners whose names remain undisclosed, have yet to deliver verdicts, as the disciplinary process is ongoing.

Both January and Bosman who were previously declared delinquent directors, cited medical reasons for missing the initial hearings in early October, followed by unsuccessful court applications.

According to NCC’s media response, Bosman initially attended the hearings but abandoned the proceedings after his applications for the chairperson’s recusal and claims of irregular process were dismissed. January did not attend at all, despite being offered the chance to participate virtually after his written objection to the Johannesburg venue was rejected.

Pleas of not guilty were entered on behalf of both employees. With evidence presented, the chairpersons requested closing arguments from the parties.

Both January and Bosman remain NCC employees under precautionary suspension with full pay, pending the outcome of the disciplinary process. Their CCMA cases challenging the suspensions are still pending, with no arbitration date set.

NCC stated in its response it would not comment on specific allegations or potential legal proceedings while these processes are ongoing, to ensure fairness.

‘Crisis’ began in October 2021

This development is the latest in a crisis that began in October 2021, when irregularities at NCC’s annual general meeting led to the election of allegedly ineligible directors. Ferdinand David Bitterbosch, president of the Pixley ka Seme region, initiated legal action, resulting in a February 2025 judgment declaring five NCC directors delinquent for gross negligence, misconduct, and breach of trust.

Court documents in the failed application to stop the disciplinary hearings, revealed that despite his director term expiring in December 2022, January remained listed on official records and was appointed CEO in January 2023. He allegedly did not meet the advertised requirements. A forensic investigation later revealed that January allegedly authorised fraudulent payments totalling over R700 000 to suppliers for services not rendered. Bosman, as finance committee chair, allegedly failed to produce financial statements and maintain proper records.

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CSA intervened in February 2023, dissolving NCC’s board and appointing Jesse Chellan as administrator. January and Bosman were suspended in May 2025 following preliminary audit findings. Both received notice of disciplinary hearings in September but waited until October to file urgent court applications, arguing that CSA’s intervention was unlawful and that Chellan lacked authority.

Prescribed processes to be followed

CSA confirmed in their response that Chellan will remain in control of NCC until the administration process is completed. The process will continue until the backlog in financial recordkeeping is addressed and outstanding annual financial statements for 2024 and 2025 are finalised and audited. Once administration concludes, CSA will follow prescribed processes to establish a new, compliant NCC board, ensuring adherence to governance protocols and constitutional requirements.

“CSA maintains rigid governance processes for all provincial affiliates, monitored consistently to uphold high standards of governance and financial management throughout South African cricket.”

While a forensic investigation by Nexus Forensic Services identified substantial irregularities at NCC, CSA declined to provide specific details about the total financial loss, citing pending legal processes, it said in its response to NoordkaapBulletin.

Forensic report uncovered alleged fraud, corruption

The Nexus forensic report, included in court documents, uncovered alleged systematic financial misconduct, fraud, and corruption by senior NCC executives between 2022 and 2025. The report focused on CEO Thapelo January, team manager Mbulelo Bosman, and acting financial manager Zanele Mtonxa, investigating irregularities from April 2023 to May 2025. Key triggers included high creditor levels, unpaid taxes, questionable VAT refunds, suspicious staff reimbursements, and payments to potentially fictitious suppliers. NCC received R77 million in income, mostly from CSA.

Fraudulent documentation was allegedly systematically created by certain people, who authored supplier invoices using NCC resources.

Notably, a fabricated invoice for a scoreboard already installed and paid for was allegedly used to claim R1.4 million from the Northern Cape Economic Development Agency.

Procurement policies were relaxed, enabling misconduct. Informal loans totalling R662 000 carried excessive interest rates, draining resources. Staff reimbursement abuses saw non-salary payments exceeding salaries, with poor tracking and commingling of funds. Supplier payments showed overcharging and errors, while VAT refund facilitation led to overpayments and SARS demanding repayment. Tax violations included unreported salaries and bonuses, creating liabilities.

Governance failures were evident: financial controls collapsed, records were poorly maintained, and oversight was minimal. The investigation found prima facie evidence of fraud, corruption, racketeering, and money laundering, recommending criminal and disciplinary action against implicated individuals.