Too few people know about Pholetsi Moseki, CEO of Cricket South Africa (CSA). This is partly because Moseki, who started the role in an acting capacity in December 2020, is no great propagandist for Pholetsi Moseki.
But it’s also because, unlike five years ago, CSA is out of the financial and governance woods. At last, they are — metaphorically speaking — sailing on open seas with a glass of something stiff close to hand.
These are what short-story writer Raymond Carver referred to in a different context as “the gravy days”. The fact that there is gravy on the table is due largely to a functioning board, the continuity of leadership and Moseki’s unstinting hard work.
First the financial facts. Thanks to bumper years in 2023/ 2024 and 2024/ 2025, Moseki says, CSA is about R1bn to the good. He emphasises, however, that this needs to be seen in context.
“When India tour here we see some crazy numbers through the sale of our broadcast rights,” he says. “But in any four-year cycle you need to make proper profits to balance out the poorer revenue years, which we’re expecting this season because only the West Indies are touring here.”
Broadcast rights bonanzas make up most of CSA’s revenue, but Moseki and his board know it is never prudent to have all their financial eggs in one basket. “We want to diversify our revenues,” Moseki says. “We’re confident of a big announcement sponsor-wise in the next few months, in one format at least and possibly in two.”
For me 2027 will be the cherry on top — the final recovery of cricket after all those years of trauma
— Pholetsi Moseki
In a pleasant change from what normally happens, sponsors and marketing agents are now calling CSA rather than the other way around. The Proteas, having beaten Australia at Lord’s in June, are world Test champions, and Moseki is quick to remind the public that in “six or seven of the last ICC [International Cricket Council] events”, the South African men or women have reached the semifinals or gone higher. Pound for pound, that makes South Africa the strongest cricket nation, yet cricket is still unable to give the rugby Boks a run for their sponsorship money.
What also makes potential sponsors interested is that South Africa will be anchor hosts of the next men’s 50-over World Cup in late 2027, with Namibia and Zimbabwe playing satellite roles. “For me 2027 will be the cherry on top — the final recovery of cricket after all those years of trauma.”
Not all the pieces of the World Cup jigsaw are in place. It is hoped the name of a tournament director will be announced in January, and the local organising committee, chaired by former finance minister Trevor Manuel, will move into CSA headquarters only next year.
“We want our fixtures to be known a full year in advance so visitors can start their planning,” Moseki says. “One of our advantages is that we’re relatively cheap. Pounds, euros and dollars go a long way here. The expatriate subcontinental population in North America is going to be a big focus, and we are keen to see to it that there are more direct flights between here and India ahead of the tournament.”
The 2027 World Cup takes on magnified significance, as the world governing bodies of football and rugby are not likely to choose South Africa as a World Cup venue soon. World Rugby has picked the US as hosts for the 2031 Rugby World Cup, and now that the football World Cup is an expanded competition, South Africa probably doesn’t have the infrastructure to cope.
“We want everything to be shipshape by March 2027,” says Moseki. “In a way, the lack of inbound tours during the next few years is fortuitous. Less traffic allows the guys to do a lot more work at the stadiums. All the major venues have been refitted with new LED lights, which don’t need warming up, and we’ve been liaising with the cities regarding our concerns about electricity and water outages.”
All the good news shouldn’t blind us to the fact that Moseki has taken significant strain since he started the job. “I feel 15 years older,” he says, though he’s been in the job for only five. “I’ve lost more of my hair. What hair I have is greyer. I’ve also developed a thicker skin because there have been times when the job has been tough — really tough.
“Having said that, I feel as though I’ve made an impact when you compare things with the bad old days, when journalists were having their accreditation revoked. I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
