How’s that! Former CSA Chair Judge Yacoob sweeps reporter’s off cutters

Judge Zak Yacoob’s three-month tenure with Cricket SA (CSA) ended abruptly this week after a nearly 40-minute long recorded corrosive conversation between the judge and Sunday Times journalist Tiisetso Malepa led to Yacoob steeping down.

Times Live published a recording of the conversation he had with Yacoob in which, among other issues, the pair locked horns on the recent suspension of former acting CSA CEO Kugandrie Govender, as well as “bribery” allegations on the part of the former Constitutional Court Justice.

The Bouncer

Yacoob can be heard of multiple occasions calling Malepa “dishonest,” “irresponsible” and even “idiotic.”

In a CSA statement on Tuesday, Yacoob apologised for his actions, acknowledging that “the tone of his comments were inappropriate.”

In a statement Wednesday, sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa said it was agreed with Yacoob that he should recuse himself from chairing CSA’S board.

The judge, a former Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, had by this time already been widely criticised for the verbal attack on Malepa, with some commentators saying the outburst was a display of unbecoming behaviour by a judge.

The Reverse Swing

Yacoob responded that “nobody is speaking about the lies he (Malepa) raised, which the reporter also shared with the minister (Mthethwa),” The Sunday Tribune reported.

The judge was referring to questions emailed to him by Malepa on the evening of January 13, the preamble to the next morning’s telephone caustic exchange which has since gone viral.

Two issues raised in the email particularly irked Yacoob.

The first ‘inswinger’ was reportedly about him allegedly bullying Govender, the suspended CSA acting chief executive, and his offer of R5000, from his own pocket, for her legal costs.

The second ‘outswinger’ that Yacoob took issue with was Malepa’s allegation that he had a bribery charge pending against him, with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and the matter had been adjourned several times.

Malepa was referring to media reports in 2019, which related to the sacking of Shamilla Surjoo, the former director of the KZN Blind and Deaf Society, over certain governance allegations, when Yacoob was the society’s president at the time.

CSA interim board rocked as Judge Zak Yacoob steps down after verbal attack on journalist

The Block

Yacoob told the Sunday Tribune that he had approached Surjoo before the matter reached the CCMA and asked how much money would be sufficient for her to leave the organisation, which he was willing to pay from his pocket.

Yacoob said he believed this approach would prevent the society from having to pay Surjoo out and incur further costs in a CCMA hearing, and she would be able to leave.

Yacoob said the media reported his offer as a “bribe.”

He said the matter went to the CCMA, and that the so-called bribe allegation was never raised there.

Before the matter was settled, Yacoob said he had resigned from the society and Sarjoo was later moved to another position within the organisation.

“That was not a bribe. I was not asking her to do anything immoral. That is a lie. When someone speaks like that about me and they haven’t checked their facts, I’m afraid that I am not going to favour them with a straightforward denial.”

Yacoob said it was a huge stretch to say to the minister that “I am an object of bribery proceedings that are still pending. That was opportunism and roguish.”

About also making a money offer to Govender, Yacoob said it was also a “goodwill gesture.”

“I also offered Kugendire (Govender) money when I asked her questions at a board meeting because she sounded uncomfortable.

“I said I was sorry if she was uncomfortable with the questions we were asking her. I said I would give her R5000 from my own pocket to get a lawyer to be with her because we were going to ask difficult questions.”

Govender declined Yacoob’s offer.

The Hook

“That is not bribery on any basis.”

Yacoob said CSA officials, especially those who earned huge salaries, should not be “treated with kid gloves.”

“They must be properly held accountable for their actions.”

He outlined that there were all sorts of allegations going on in the organisation and he was there to “clean things up.”

“You question everything and take nothing at face value. Therefore, my approach was strict and uncomplicated and bringing everyone to account. The terrain dictated my firm approach as there was a lot of dirty business going on and people wanted to burn the cleaning brush.”

“My view is that journalists are powerful people who can write and do all kinds of things. Surely it is my freedom of expression, in a private phone call, to say you are a liar and rogue.”

Yacoob sais he was within his rights to express his anger.

“He does not ask whether I was involved in a bribery investigation, but says it as a matter of fact. He could have checked with the CCMA.”

With a ‘late flick,’ Yacoob said when someone lies about him, regardless of whether he was a judge or not, his response would not be measured.

The Cut

“I am a human being. I would like to see a judge who has been lied about, handle this in a measured way.”

He said his integrity has always been very important to him.

“I value my integrity more than life.”

When approached for comment, Malepa told the Tribune: “I’m not doing interviews on the issue of the judge.”