The administrator of the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) is working on realigning the under-fire union's constitution to be on par with that of SA Rugby and World Rugby ahead of a special general council meeting to elect a new president and executive.
The union is currently without a president and executive after being put under administration by SA rugby's governing body back in October 2021. SA Rugby stepped in then as the professional arm of the WPRFU was on the brink of bankruptcy due to mounting debt.
An offer from an equity partner to acquire a controlling stake in the company is currently before the financial committee of SA Rugby before the executive council will make a recommendation to the WPRFU clubs on the deal.
The WP clubs will have the final say in ratifying or declining the offer, and if any amendments to their constitution will be accepted. "We want alignment in the union's constitution with that of SA Rugby and World Rugby so much so that we have comprised a team of legal experts to review the (WP) constitution," Max Fuzani, the WPRFU administrator, told
"Some comparative work will be done to see which areas of the constitution require amendments. But the clubs will be consulted in this process. We are busy preparing them for a general council meeting." Because the WPRFU is under administration, the constitution is currently suspended and that has opened the door for this process to start. But, this process, like the one to lock in an equity partner and the sale of Newlands Stadium, will most likely be met with resistance from certain factions and delays could be expected in finalising matters.
Fuzani and SA Rugby had a heated meeting with club representatives last Thursday where discussions around the equity partner and the continued administration of the union were discussed. Certain club representatives feel that SA Rugby is stripping WP of its assets and forcing them into an equity deal they do not necessarily want. The Newlands Stadium sale is another touchy topic in the union with the process halted due to an application to have it declared a Heritage Site.
The application was brought by Wynand Claassen, a former Springbok, and others, to prevent WP from selling the stadium.
IOL Sport