Outcome of Zelt's appeal pending, as elections loom

NEWS UPDATE: Polemical former Western Province Rugby Football Union President Zelt Marais will know in a matter of days the outcome of his appeal against a 10-year ban.

@rugby365com can reveal that the appeal hearing occurred over two days on March 31 and April 1.

The appeal committee’s verdict is eagerly being awaited, with no clear indication of when will be delivered.

However, the deadline for nominations – for the vacant positions of President, Deputy President, vice-President and eight additional members of the Executive Committee – is Monday, April 14 at 17.00.

As @rugby365com reported last year, Marais was slapped with a 10-year ban and a ZAR50,000 fine – suspended for five years.

SARU brought eight charges against Marais for ‘repeated breaches’ of the SARU Code of Conduct.

On September 30 last year, a ruling was made on the merits and Marais was found guilty on all eight charges.

Marais appealed the verdict and punishment, with a positive finding in his favour making him eligible for the elections in just over a fortnight.

WPRFU will hold it’s first elections in years on April 30.

The South African Rugby Union-appointed administrator, Peter Jooste, confirmed in writing to the 90-odd clubs that a Special General Meeting of the union will be held at the Cape Town Stadium.

Marais, who was in the hot seat when SARU took control more than three years ago, confirmed to @rugby365com that he was ‘available and will be standing in the upcoming WPRFU elections’.

It will be the first time since 2018 that the position of President has been contested and the first time since early 2021 (a by-election for vice-President) that any position will be contested.

On 12 October 2021, the South African Rugby Union placed WPRFU under administration in terms of clause 29.5.3 of the SARU constitution, because the WPRFU and its commercial arm, Stormers Rugby (Pty) Ltd, were on the brink of bankruptcy.

Apart from Marais, there are three candidates for the vacant position of WPRFU President – Kevin Kiewitz, Ronald Bantom and Ruben MacHelm.

The latter, MacHelm, is a former associate of Marais, while the former two were adversaries of Marais in the tumultuous period that preceded WPRFU being placed under administration in October 2021.

Kiewitz, an attorney specialising in conveyance and property management, resigned as an executive committee member in June 2020.

In 2021 Bantom replaced Spencer King as vice-president during a ‘by-election’.

Jooste, who opposed Marais in the 2018 presidential elections, did not respond to an enquiry about his availability for the top post.

However, the annexures to his notice of the SGM, revealed that he will delegated by SARU to oversee the transition from administration to a ‘functioning’ union until June.

@king365ed
@rugby365com

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