New chairman revealed for battered Kings
NEWS: A new five-person board has been confirmed to oversee the Southern Kings affairs.
Andre Rademan, the Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU) president, has been appointed as the new chairman and is joined by Mbulelo Gidane, chairman of the EPRU Finance and Human Resources Committee, SA Rugby Executive Council nominees, Monde Tabata and Jannie Louw, and independent, Gugu Nxiweni, who has been retained from the previous board.
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The appointments follow SA Rugby’s renewed involvement in the franchise, following the decision to take back a 74 percent shareholding on June 19 after the equity partner – the Greatest Rugby Company in the Whole Wide World (GRC) – was unable to meet contractual commitments.
The EPRU have two places on the board as the minority shareholder (26 percent).
SA Rugby has assumed responsibility for the management of the franchise’s affairs while team preparations for a return-to-play under Kings’ director of rugby, Robbie Kempson, are being supported by the SA Rugby’s, director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus.
Southern Kings Timeline:
* November 2010: SA Rugby announces intention to field the Southern Kings in Super Rugby in 2013.
* February 2013: Kings compete in the Super Rugby competition as one of five South African teams.
* August 2013: Kings lose their place in Super Rugby in a two-legged play-off against the Lions.
* November 2015: SA Rugby takes control of the franchise when EPRU, to whom the operation of the franchise had been granted, ran into financial trouble.
* February 2016: Kings return to Super Rugby when the competition expands to 18 teams.
* April 2017: SANZAAR announces that Super Rugby will contract from 18 teams to 15 teams in 2018.
* September 2017: The Kings (and Cheetahs) are included as South Africa’s ground-breaking representatives in the PRO14 competition.
* January 2019: GRC acquires 74 percent shareholding in the franchise; EPRU retain a 26 percent shareholding.
* June 2020: SA Rugby resumes control of the Southern Kings following the failure of GRC to meet contractual commitments.
* July 2020: A new five-person board has been confirmed to oversee the Southern Kings affairs.
