BOOTED INTO TOUCH: Ex-pres Marais
Former Western Province president Zelt Marais has been slapped with a hewige 10-year suspension from all forms of rugby and must pay a fine of R50 000 after being found guilty on eight separate charges in a South African Rugby Union disciplinary hearing.
This is the second time that Marais has been skorsed by Saru following a previous suspension in 2022 for breaching the latter’s code of conduct after the former defied a decision to put WP under administration.
According to advocate Andre May, judicial officer for the disciplinary hearing, Marais continued to defy the ruling after he and the political party African Renaissance Alliance (ARA) took Saru to court to try to overturn the decision to put WPRFU under administration.
In a video conversation with ARA president Jerome Swartz, Marais also made a vrag accusations against Saru.
One of the allegations Marais made was saying Saru misled WP’s clubs by drukking them to agree to sell the union’s professional arm to the Red Disa consortium.
May’s findings against Marais in a document in the Daily Voice’s possession reads: “The repetitive nature of Mr Marais’s breaches, his lack of remorse, and his continued defiance of Saru’s authority are significant factors to be considered when deciding on an appropriate sanction.
“Saru maintain that the only appropriate sanction is expulsion from all rugby activities, emphasising the need to protect the integrity of the sport, restore stability to the Western Province rugby administration, and deter similar conduct by other office-bearers.”
Of Saru wanting Marais to be geskors for life, May says: “I am of the opinion that the sanction of lifelong expulsion, as proposed by Saru, is, in my opinion, too severe…
“Therefore, I order the expulsion of Mr Marais from all positions within Saru, SA Rugby, and any rugby body, and from any and all rugby activities for a period of 10 years…
“Mr Marais is fined R50 000, with payment being suspended for five years on the condition that he is not convicted of any further transgressions...”