EP rugby bailout runs into political problems

Just when we thought EP rugby had been saved by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, politics has reared its head. The DA’s Athol Trollip is expected to be the new mayor, and he’s raising a red flag on the proposal because he feels a financial rescue job has been done on the sly, and he’s got a problem with ANC stalwart Cheeky Watson who runs rugby in the Eastern Cape. Trollip might find himself in a tricky situation if he feels the municipality can’t bail out EP rugby, as long as Watson remains in charge. Trollip won’t want the first council meeting that he presides over be the one that puts a nail in EP rugby’s coffin. Will we see a standoff between Trollip and Watson with the future of professional rugby in the Eastern Cape at stake? – David O’Sullivan

From Sport24

A R20 million package from the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to rescue the beleaguered Eastern Province Rugby will have to be reviewed, DA mayoral candidate Athol Trollip said on Saturday.

EP Kings
EP Kings

Eastern Province Rugby (Pty) Ltd, which managed the professional arm of the Eastern Province Rugby Union, including the Eastern Province Kings, was liquidated unopposed in the Port Elizabeth High Court on Thursday.

Shortly after the liquidation, SA Rugby said the EP Kings would remain in the Nashua Currie Cup premier division, following the announcement of a R20m support package from the municipality.

A total of R6m had already been approved, with the municipality’s council expected to ratify the remaining amount soon, SA Rugby said in a statement.

SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux thanked mayor Danny Jordaan for his willingness to help the beleaguered union.

Trollip questioned the timing of the announcement.

“How can the outgoing mayor be making decisions and deals on the quiet with people, when council hasn’t even endorsed it?” he told reporters.

“Obviously this was very premature and irregular and we will have to re-look at it.”

Trollip_DA_NMBTrollip said it was important that Nelson Mandela Bay retain a professional rugby team.

“I believe that we need a rugby team in the Eastern Province. Eastern Province is renowned for rugby, it’s just been in the doldrums for so long because it has been mal-administered.

“People like Cheeky Watson have destroyed EP Rugby and he was a member of the ANC, and he did that under the ANC’s watch,” he said.

Watson is president of the Eastern Province Rugby Union.

“We want to bring back proper sports administration, and if we can do that, we can support them,” Trollip said.

Nelson Mandela Bay was the perfect city to become the sporting capital of South Africa, already hosting international events such as the Ironman triathlon, he said. – Sport24

Source: http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/eastern-province-rugby-rescue-plan-not-a-done-deal-trollip-20160806

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