Fraud: SARU boss implicated
South African Rugby Union Chief Executive Jurie Roux has formally been implicated in allegations of fraud at the University of Stellenbosch.
Hawks spokesman Paul Ramaloko confirmed there was an investigation into the alleged fraud at the university of Stellenbosch, dating back a few years before his arrival at SARU.
It relates to the irregular use of the university's reserve funds.
"The matter is still under investigation and has been ongoing for months," the Hawks spokesman said.
Ramaloko would not divulge the details or the probe nor confirm the names of those being investigated.
The university's Audit and Risk Committee and auditors KPMG reported their suspicions and named the SARU CEO, Roux, in their findings.
Roux was the university's Senior Director of Finance and asset management at the time.
Beeld newspaper reported that SARU President Oregan Hoskins has reneged on a confidentiality agreement with the university and had shown Roux a forensic report, which implicated him in the alleged fraud.
Hoskins reportedly requested a transcript of the report for SARU to decide on steps against Roux and agreed, in writing, that he would not show the report to anyone else.
He told the newspaper his lawyers advised him to hand the report over to Roux's legal counsel.
"I considered it as my legal duty to give Roux the opportunity to explain the allegations against him," Hoskins reportedly said.
During its investigation, KPMG found "major financial irregularities" in transactions between the Matie Rugby Club and the university, which included practices where tuition and accommodation were financed illegally.
Hoskins said the allegations against Roux would be discussed at SARU's executive committee and the general council meetings this week.
Roux, as he has done from the outset, has again declined to comment.
* Meanwhile Louis von Zeuner has joined the executive council of the South African Rugby Union as the players' representative.
He succeeds Piet Heymans in the role.
Von Zeuner, who is chairman of MyPlayers (Pty) Ltd, a private company owned and managed by the professional rugby players of South Africa, joins the executive council as the elected representative of the South African Rugby Players' Association.
Source: SAPA
