Jurie Roux

On Thursday reports started surfacing that renewed questions are being asked why Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby (SARU), is still ensconsed in the position as CEO of SA Rugby.

Of course, this is not new news to Rugby-Talk.com as we have featured a number of articles, over a number of years, relating to the allegations against Jurie Roux, by the University of Stellenbosh, where Roux was employed prior to his appointment as CEO of SA Rugby and the matter has been discussed at lenght in our comments section on various news aricles.

A lot of “Tap-dancing” is now being done by SARU and SARU President Oregan Hoskins regarding the matter, the latest of which claims that SARU was never aware of investigations against Jurie Roux, at the time of his employment in 2010 and that they also did not even interview Mr Roux at the time of his employment as CEO, as that was supposedly handled by an outsourced entity.

To put it mildly, it is my considered opinion that the matter of the investigations against Jurie Roux has been in the public domain for years, and SARU President Hoskins’ blanket denials about being aware of the investigations simply does not wash… in fact in the past Oregan Hoskins has come out in open and positive support for Jurie Roux, regarding these claims and investigations.

Now that the heat is turned up about the matter, we see this ludicrous distancing from Mr Roux and his appointment and suddenly “Discussing the Matter by the SARU Exco” is envisaged to take place.

The stern question now remains, how can SA Rugby ever have allowed and now still allow Jurie Roux to act in the position of CEO of SA Rugby?

Mr Roux appears to be making his normal daily run of appearances, statements and functioning fully in the position as CEO, we have seen this daily regarding matters pertaining to the EP Kings as well as pertaining to the appointment of the new Springbok Coack to replace Heyneke Meyer.

The blunt facts are that the University of Stellenbosh has issued legal action against Mr Roux for a sum in the order of R 35 Million Rand and the reknowned Auditing firm of KPMG has fully investigated the matter and brought out a substantiated damning report, which firmly implicates Jurie Roux. Writer hereof has now for years already questioned why criminal charges have not been brought against Mr Jurie Roux for his involment in the “Matiesgate Rugby Scandal”.

We look at a couple of the media reports of late in the week:

Is this the end of Jurie Roux? (Rugby365 – Thursday 28 January 2016)

Jurie Roux, the man tasked with finding the next Springbok coach, may soon be shown the exit door himself.

Roux was tasked with ‘head-hunting’ a replacement for Heyneke Meyer, with an announcement expected after the South African Rugby Union general council meeting in March.

However, new developments in the Stellenbosch University’s legal action against the SARU CEO, Roux, may force the national body into a rethink.

This follows reports in the Afrikaans media on Wednesday that Roux – according to a preliminary KPMG report – misappropriated funds by “manipulating” financial management systems and having used software that does not leave a “audit trail” to favour the rugby programme during his time at the university.

The university is suing Roux for R 35 Million – the amount the they believe Roux used to help fund the Maties Rugby Club.

SARU initially gave the appearance of supporting Roux, with union President Oregan Hoskins saying: “There is a legal process in place and that should be allowed to run its course.”

However, things changed dramatically in the last 24 hours and Hoskins appears to have had a change of heart.

“The Exco meeting on 5 February will discuss it,” Hoskins told rugby365, when asked about the latest developments.

He added that it is the 1st scheduled meeting of the SARU executive committee for 2016.

The SARU boss described the charges – contained in the preliminary KPMG report – as “serious”.

He added that they now have no option but to discuss the matter.

“It does become important, given the media reports,” he told rugby365.

However, there is no indication what the process is beyond next Friday’s meeting and whether Roux could be asked to step down – considering the escalating pressure.

“The Exco has to apply its mind to the media reports about Jurie,” Hoskins added.

“I can’t pre-empt the outcome.”

Roux’s lawyer, Frikkie Erasmus, maintains his client’s innocence and said he will not comment on the allegations because it could negatively impact him in his legal battle with the university.

The alleged transgression occurred over a period of 9 years, when Roux had access to the university’s financial management system.

The KPMG report, according to Netwerk24, claims that Roux “hid” spending and “withheld” about R 35 Million of the university’s reserves from the university council.

According to court documents, Roux and a colleague, Chris de Beer (then the Deputy Director of student fees), worked together between 2002 and 2010 where they made “unauthorised” transfers from the university’s reserve funds.

Roux left his job as Chairman of the Stellenbosch Rugby Club in 2010 to become SARU CEO.

De Beer was fired by the university in 2012.

SARU has been aware of the allegations against Roux for well over a year, but has stood by the embattled CEO – with Hoskins having said he is “happy” with Roux’s explanation of the situation.

However, the latest developments may just force their hand at a time when they also face possible legal action from players in the Eastern Province Kings region.

DA calls for suspension of Jurie Roux (Sport24 Thursday 28 January 2016)

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for South African Rugby Union (SARU) CEO Jurie Roux to be suspended pending the outcome of an investigation of financial mismanagement against him.

It was reported on Wednesday that Roux “manipulated” financial management systems to favour the rugby programme during his time at Stellenbosch University.

Solly Malatsi, a DA spokesperson for sport and recreation, told Netwerk24 that he has sent an open letter to SARU president Oregan Hoskins.

“The administration of rugby in South Africa cannot be led by someone who is caught up in serious allegations of financial mismanagement,” Malatsi said via a statement.

“The SARU leadership was always aware that Roux left Stellenbosch under a cloud of controversy. But they still saw it fit to make him chief executive officer.

“Now that the alleged financial wrongdoings have been exposed in KPMG’s preliminary audit, it would be good governance of SARU to act immediately and in a strong manner.”

Hoskins confirmed that he has called for a SARU executive committee meeting.

“The charges are serious and I’ve told the members of the executive committee that things are starting to turn ugly, we have to discuss it,” said Hoskins.

SARU did not interview its own CEO (Sport24 Friday 29 January 2016)

The South African Rugby Union (SARU) on Friday moved to distance themselves from the appointment of current CEO Jurie Roux in 2010.

In a press release, SARU refuted claims it was aware of Roux’s employment at Stellenbosch University at the time of his appointment.

Roux remains at the centre of a multi-million Rand investigation into alleged mismanagement of funds during his tenure as chairperson of Maties Rugby Club, the role he left in order to join SARU.

On Thursday the Democratic Alliance called for the suspension of Roux.

President of SARU Oregan Hoskins outlined in the release that the appointment of the SARU CEO in 2010 was handled entirely by an external, independent recruitment company.

According to the release, this recruitment company received all applications; prepared a shortlist; interviewed candidates and made a recommendation to the General Council of SA Rugby.

Their recommendation of the consultants was accepted by the SARU General Council.

None of the candidates were interviewed or had any other type of engagement with SA Rugby officials before the appointment.

The release concluded that the recommendation in regard to Roux did not include any suggestion of an inquiry into his employment at Stellenbosch.

At the time of publication of this article, SARU had not named the recruitment company used.

According to a SARU spokesperson, Hoskins met Roux for the 1st time on his 1st day in the job.

SARU also confirmed to Sport24 on Thursday that the reason for using the recruitment company was to ensure that they could not be accused of showing any favouritism in their appointment after numerous union CEOs had declared an interest in the job.