No Christmas cheer in EPRU presidential stand-off

REACTION: While the rest of South Africa is looking to celebrate Christmas, ‘legal letters’ are flying back and forth in the Eastern Province Rugby Union Presidential stand-off.

At the end of a turbulent year in the Eastern Cape that had it all – including criminal charges, court rulings, gunslinging ‘bodyguards’ at executive meetings and antagonistic disruptions of media briefings – the recent presidential election of the EPRU appears to be heading back to court once more.

Even the appointment of former Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has done little to calm the storm that has been raging for years in Port Elizabeth.

George Malgas, who was victorious in the EPRU general elections on November 30, sent a letter to clubs informing them that he won ‘fair and square’.

This after he received a letter from the lawyer representing Willem Oliphant – the man Malgas beat by three votes (119 to 116) in the presidential election.

Malgas’ letter confirmed that he received the ‘final report’ from the independent electoral officer Chumani Gqeke.

“The electoral officer, who was ably assisted by his independent team as well as independent auditors from two auditing firms, confirmed in the report that the elections of 2024 for the Presidency and four additional members for the executive committee of the EPRU, were free and fair,” the letter stated.

“It furthermore confirms the outcome as announced on November 30 as correct and a true reflection of the will of the majority of clubs and those who were eligible to vote.”

However, Oliphant was having none of that.

Sebastiaan Marx, acting on behalf of Oliphant, confirmed they are disputing the outcome.

“I am not at liberty to discuss the matter,” Marx told @rugby365com, adding: “We have written to EPRU regarding the matter and that we have not had any response to our letter.

“We are still investigating the matter and we will likely file papers early in 2025.”

(Article continues below …)

In June this year, Malgas won a court case against several officials – Gerald Antonie, Roger Serfontein, Benjamin Bans, Valerie Witbooi and Elbo Prince.

This is the latest in a long-standing and tumultuous battle for power in the embattled Port Elizabeth-based union – who had four changes of President in 12 months.

He succeeded in having Antonie (as President) and Serfontein (deputy President) removed from office.

In the High Court of South Africa (Eastern Cape Division) Judge Vuyokazi Noncembu ruled in Malgas’s favour.

The period of turmoil – going back to the Cheeky Watson era almost a decade ago – took another intriguing twist in June last year when then-EPRU President Maasdorp Cannon was suspended for two years by SARU.

He was found guilty of contravening the SARU Constitution and its Code of Conduct.

@king365ed
@rugby365com

* Related

Coetzee’s big vision for Eastern Province
Toetie’s new gig in SA
EPRU in ‘gunslingers’ stand-off
Court rules in EPRU Presidential stand-off