The trio are among seven players banned by CSA for their involvement in attempts to fix matches during the 2015-16 Ram Slam Challenge
Lonwabo Tsotsobe was handed an eight-year ban in 2017 • AFP
Former South Africa cricketers Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Thami Tsolekile, along with former Titans bowler Ethy Mbhalati, have been arrested and charged with five counts of corruption under Section 15 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004.
They have been charged under section 15 of the Act, which relates to corrupt activities relating to sporting events, including accepting or offering to accept any gratification from another person for engaging in any act which threatens to undermine the integrity of a sporting even or influence the run of play.
The charges date back to the match-fixing saga surrounding the 2015-16 Ram Slam Challenge. These three players are among seven who were banned by Cricket South Africa in 2016 and 2017 for their involvement in attempts to fix matches during the domestic T20 tournament.
Gulam Bodi has already served time in prison while Jean Symes and Pumi Matshikwe were given suspended sentences after pleading guilty in 2021 and 2022 respectively. The cases against Tsotsobe, Tsolekile and Mbhalati are postponed until February 2025.
All seven players were also given bans of between two and 12 years by CSA, related to their involvement in the game.
The Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act came into effect in the aftermath of the Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal in 2000, and it is understood that this is the first time it is being used to charge sportspersons with offences. The charges have been laid following an investigation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), known as the Hawks, a special branch of the South African Police Service that investigates organised and economic crime.
“Corruption undermines the integrity of sport, and the Hawks are determined to safeguard the values of fairness and professionalism in all areas of society. We thank Cricket South Africa for their cooperation and commitment to addressing this scourge,” Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, National Head of the DPCI, said in a statement issued on Friday.
At the time of initial investigation, CSA said none of the matches in the tournament were affected by fixing after the conspirators’ plans were foiled. It has since been established that Bodi, in collusion with bookmakers from India, approached several players to participate in fixing three matches in the tournament and also understood that none of the fixes actually took place.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and women’s cricket
