CSA chair shakes off optics of painstaking CEO appointment: 'The best candidate on offer was Pholetsi'

Lawson Naidoo, Cricket South Africa's (CSA) chairperson, on Wednesday defended the optics of Pholetsi Moseki's appointment as the federation's new full-time CEO by proclaiming how "proud" he is of the "rigorous" process that was followed.

Moseki, previously CSA's chief financial officer, has been fulfilling his current role in an acting capacity after his predecessors Jacques Faul and Kugandrie Govender resigned and was dismissed respectively.

However, the qualified chartered accountant was only recommended as the preferred candidate after CSA - who promulgated the post back in August 2021 already - had twice enlisted recruitment agencies to source suitable applicants. 

The second agency had recommended former SA Airways chief Vuyani Jarana, but other commitments prevented him from taking up the position.

READ | Cricket SA confirms Pholetsi Moseki as permanent chief in major win for continuity

"One of the things that this board has said is that, wherever possible, all senior positions within the organisation would be open and subject to a transparent and competitive process," said Naidoo.

"We want to attract the best talent to CSA. We advertised the post last August with the services of a recruitment company. It proved unsuccessful and we felt, as a board, we had to go back to the market and enlisted another agency. 

"At the end of the day, having reviewed many, many candidates, we took the decision that the best candidate on offer was Pholetsi."

By playing open cards on the process, CSA's board - justifiably - aren't preoccupied with perceptions over Motseki being proverbial sloppy seconds.

'Rebuild faith'

"It's been a rigorous process and we can be proud that we followed it to the letter and ensured that we can be fully