Plans are in place for another vote of no confidence to be tabled against Cheeky Watson at a proposed special general meeting. CRAIG LEWIS reports.
A constitutional technicality saw Watson remain in power as EPRU president after last week’s annual meeting, where the presented financials were rejected by a majority vote from the delegates present.
Prior to the meeting, 27 EPRU clubs had submitted a signed motion of no confidence. However, the vote failed to pass at last Thursday’s meeting after some of the letters from the ‘in favour’ clubs were nullified on technical grounds.
Although delegates were believed to have successfully voted 59-27 in favour of having the motion included on the agenda, the vote was ultimately rejected because – in some cases – the required signatures of both the president and secretary of the club were absent.
This was believed to have been the result of logistical difficulties faced by rural clubs, where in certain instances, the president and secretary reside far away.
While the clubs accepted this decision, and called for EP Rugby to be placed under SA Rugby administration, renewed efforts are now underway to call for a special general meeting, where another vote of no confidence will be put forward.
‘Today [Wednesday] we will be submitting five signed letters, in accordance with the constitutional requirements, to call for the special general meeting to take place,’ Rugby Transformation Coalition representative Bantwini Matika told SARugbymag.co.za.
‘We will ensure that we close any loopholes, and comply 100% with the constitution to ensure that the motion of no confidence cannot be rejected this time. We have done our homework, and believe more than ever that clubs are now aware of the need to get rid of the rot in EP Rugby.’
It’s believed that the clubs will need to gain a two-thirds majority to unseat Watson at the special general meeting, which Matika said they hoped would take place before the end of March. Should they face resistance to their calls for the meeting to be held, Matika confirmed they would be willing to institute legal action.
On 10 March, a joint application for EP Rugby to be put under liquidation is already set to be heard at the Port Elizabeth High Court.
Meanwhile, SA Rugby has reportedly asked the EPRU to explain how they would like them to intervene to solve their financial woes.
Photo: Michael Sheehan/Gallo Images
