SA Rugby defends Jurie Roux appointment, explains position after Parliament grilling

SA Rugby president Mark Alexander says their embattled chief executive officer Jurie Roux cannot be suspended because his alleged transgressions at the University of Stellenbosch took place before he joined the organisation.

Alexander was fielding questions from MPs during SA Rugby's appearance in front of the Sports Portfolio Committee on Wednesday, where the issue around Roux's continued employment with the organisation was raised.

Roux has been taken to the Western Cape High Court by his former employers, the University of Stellenbosch, over his role in the transferring of funds from a university account to the rugby club without the requisite permission.

Roux was the director of finance at the university from 2002 to 2010 before moving to SA Rugby in his current capacity, with the allegations of the Stellenbosch issues cropping up in 2013.

A KPMG report ignited the subsequent legal wrangling between Roux and the university which led to two arbitration awards going the way of the university.

With the university not satisfied by the attempts made by Roux and his legal team to pay back the R37-million they're claiming from him, they then approached the High Court in a move that was opposed by Roux, who then sought further relief from the court in wanting the two arbitration awards overturned.

Alexander said due processes is being followed, adding that there have been many examples of employees not being suspended in their current jobs for mistakes made elsewhere.

"It must be remembered that this happened with his previous employer and not with SA Rugby," Alexander said.

"It is not a cut and dried matter like [if] he worked for SA Rugby, there are other options we had to take and we have to follow due processes.

"We'll wait