Zelt reschedules meeting, despite SARU 'letter'

By Jan de Koning

Wednesday 30 Mar 2022

NEWLANDS UPDATE: A headstrong Zelt Marais has rescheduled a council meeting, despite being served by the South African Rugby Union.

@rugby365com can reveal that SARU told Western Province Rugby Football Union clubs on Tuesday that Marais has been served for 'bringing the game into disrepute'.

The revelation that he has been formally served, follows a letter earlier this month in which SARU President Mark Alexander wrote to the WPRFU clubs and informed them that they will charge Marais with 'misconduct'.

Alexander accused Marais of spreading misinformation on "pipe dreams" based on "unverified financial claims or any kind of due diligence" and compounding by the "illegitimate use of digital letterheads".

This has not stopped Marais from attempting to reschedule his failed meeting from earlier this month - which turned out to be a massive flop, with only four club representatives and 20-odd non-affiliated people turning up at the locked gates of Newlands stadium.

In the early hours of Wednesday, Marais sent an email out advising of the new date of his meeting.

"Notice is hereby given that the council meeting of 21 March 2022 was not quorate and is adjourned to Wednesday, 6 April 2022 at Newlands," Marais said in his email.

"Kindly note that the Members attending the Meeting will be deemed to be a quorum," Marais added.

The suspended WPRFU President did not respond to questions from @rugby365com on how he plans to get a quorum, given that the WPRFU constitution requires 50 percent of the union's clubs plus one to form a quorum.

That means at least 46 of the 90 clubs (more by some accounts) need to be present.

However, on March 21 Marais failed dismally to get the required numbers.

His four clubs pale into insignificance when compared to the 80-odd people who attended this past Tuesday's SARU briefing.

Marais also continues to insist that he does not recognise SARU's decision to place WPRFU under administration and suspend him - along with all other elected and co-opted officials.

"Kindly further note that WPRFU deems the administration to be unlawful as outlined in its previously sent out correspondence," Marais said in his letter.

"It is imperative that an Interim Executive Committee be put in place to ensure that all the Union's are activated [sic] and executed.

"Additional exciting information will be shared either prior to the meeting or at the meeting."

Marais also faces the prospect of another lock-out by SARU next Wednesday.

He declined to comment on this and several other questions posed to him by @rugby365com.

@king365ed

@rugby365com