Suspended WP president Zelt Marais kicked out of SA Rugby meeting with Parliament

SA Rugby president Mark Alexander flagged Marais' presence in the virtual Parliamentary briefing, which started at 09:00.

SA Rugby appeared with a team including Alexander, CEO Jurie Roux, Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber and team manager Charles Wessels to brief parliament on their annual financials, plans around the men's and women's teams and transformation.

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"We have a suspended member in the meeting, Mr Zelt Marais," said Alexander during chief financial officer Abubakar 'Boebie' Saban's presentation.

Portfolio chairperson Beauty Dlulane immediately asked her secretary to remove Marais immediately.

SA Rugby is set to charge Marais for bringing the game into disrepute.

Last week, Marais sent a letter to the member clubs in which he pointed to SA Rugby's CEO Jurie Roux still being employed despite having been ordered to pay back R37 million to the University of Stellenbosch for money he had illegally funnelled into Maties rugby club. 

"SARU is not capable of being the custodian of rugby in this country and at present the purported custodian of the affairs of the WPRFU," Marais wrote. 

SA Rugby has responded, with Alexander saying it was time for action.

"Unfortunately, the suspended ex-president continues to spread misinformation and pipe dreams based on unverified financial claims or any kind of due diligence, compounded by the illegitimate use of digital letterheads," Alexander wrote.

Western Province is under SA Rugby administration since October last year, with the mother body assuming full control of the union's affairs after it ran into financial trouble under Marais.