SARU slaps Zelt with NEW 'cease and desist' order

By Jan de Koning

Saturday 18 Feb 2023

The South African Rugby Union has sent a new 'cease and desist' order to suspended former Western Province Rugby Football Union President Zelt Marais.

He is also facing yet another disciplinary hearing and an extended ban.

This is the result of his stubborn and rebellious behaviour, despite a 12-month suspension which runs until July.

In a letter - dated February 16 and signed by Christo Ferreira, Senior Manager, Legal - SARU told Marais that he was in breach of the conditions of his disciplinary hearing.

On July 21 last year, SARU confirmed that the already suspended WPRFU President was slapped with a ban.

This came after he was first suspended when SARU placed the union under administration in October 2021.

In March last year, SARU President Mark Alexander wrote to the WPRFU clubs and informed them that they will charge the controversial figure, Marais, with ‘misconduct’.

The hearing, which Marais did not attend, was completed in July.

“He was found guilty and suspended from holding office at WPRFU or SARU for 12 months – from July 21,” a SARU spokesman told @rugby365com.

However, Marais – still ‘acting’ as WPRFU President – has continued to battle against what he regards as a “draconian” organisation.

As @rugby365com reported back in December, Marais attempted to invoke the power of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to ‘assist’ him in his battle with SARU.

His latest strategy was to pen a letter to the President of the country, Ramaphosa, and also forward it to Beauty Dlulane, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation.

* To read the full article, CLICK HERE!

Marais confirmed to @rugby365com that he attended a Strategic Stakeholders Meeting of the ANC in Hanover Park at the time (in December), where the President was the keynote speaker.

In his letter, Marais takes exception to what he calls the “unlawful administration” of SARU over WPRFU.

It is this and subsequent correspondence in which he presented himself as WPRFU 'President' that has landed him in trouble again.

"We are accordingly required to formally demand, as we hereby do, that you cease and desist with taking any action in which you hold yourself out as President of WPRFU and/or otherwise act in contravention of the code and/or sanction ordered against you," Ferreira said in the letter to Marais.

The letter also informed Marais that he will face another disciplinary hearing, at a date still to be confirmed.

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