SA Rugby stands behind Roux

SA Rugby's executive council says embattled CEO Jurie Roux retains its unanimous support to continue in his role.

Roux has been accused of making unauthorised payments totalling R35-million to Maties Rugby Club while he was a senior director of finance at Stellenbosch University and chairman of the rugby club.

In a press release on Thursday, SA Rugby said it had sought expert legal opinion in the wake of renewed reporting of these allegations.

Advocate SA Cilliers and prof. Michael Katz, of ENSafrica, were asked to review SA Rugby’s handling of the matter and the relevant labour law on the basis of the evidence at hand.

Their review confirmed that SA Rugby’s executive council had appropriately applied its fiduciary duties and also advised that it would be an unfair labour practice to take action against an employee on perceptions of third parties or on the basis of a report of which the facts had not been tested in court.

They recommended that SA Rugby continued to employ Roux – as long as he performed satisfactorily.

In light of the opinion, the executive council confirmed their unanimous support for Roux. His performance in the role has been of an exemplary standard, during which time he has at no stage brought the game into disrepute.

SA Rugby said it now regarded the matter as closed until the outcome of any legal action between the two parties.

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Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

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