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Cronje's June 22 testimony

MR CRONJE: I didn't think it appropriate, I didn't want to share it with anyone else.

MS BATOHI: What do you mean it wasn't appropriate, you had done nothing wrong, there was an offer and you rejected it, why did you not feel the need to share it with the rest of the team or with management in particular?

MR CRONJE: Well, once again, as I have said many times, I wasn't happy with the fact that I even entertained the thought.

MS BATOHI: Well, you are still not answering my question, why didn't you mention this to anybody, particularly management, so that they could be aware of this problem and perhaps do something about it?

MR CRONJE: I wish at the time I did that, I don't know what the reason was for not mentioning it to them. I think I was ashamed and didn't want to share it with anyone, other than - obviously I shared it with Pat Symcox.

MS BATOHI: Mr Cronjé, what had you to be ashamed of, you had done nothing wrong?

MR WALLACE: Mr Commissioner, in fairness to the witness, my learned friend has already put to him that he had done something wrong in even entertaining the suggestion, so to say now that he hadn't done something wrong, is most inappropriate.

COMMISSIONER: Well, let the witness answer for himself, Mr Wallace. Answer the question please, Mr Cronjé.

MR CRONJE: I have tried to answer it as best I can, Mr Commissioner.

COMMISSIONER: Fine, thank you.

MS BATOHI: Did you perhaps not mention it to anyone because you had thought already at that stage, that maybe this is a way of making easy money?

MR CRONJE: I was tempted, yes.

MS BATOHI: I accept you were tempted at the time when the offer was made, but what I am putting to you is that, did you perhaps decide not to tell anybody else about it, because already in your mind, you had decided that this might well be an easy way of making money at some future stage?

MR CRONJE: I didn't at that stage know that there was going to be a future stage.

MS BATOHI: Let's assume Pat Symcox was supportive of this offer, what would you have done?

MR CRONJE: It is very hard to say, we probably would have gone through with it. I don't know, he was very, very adamant that we shouldn't go through with it, so it is hard to think that anyone would have entertained the thought, other than myself.

MS BATOHI: You mentioned in paragraph 11 of your statement, that you recall that when you walked onto the field for the match you were asked by Salim Malik whether you had spoken to John. At what stage was this, was this when you were walking onto the field for the toss or for - during the game?

MR CRONJE: What normally happens Ms Batohi is, half an hour before a match you meet your opposing captain about 20 yards from the pitch, you shake hands and exchange teams and then go and conduct your interview beforehand, and that was the time that he asked me that question.

MS BATOHI: So, am I correct in assuming that the entire team was present, both teams were present on the field at that time, or am I mistaken?

MR CRONJE: There may have been some members of the team still warming up, but they weren't in earshot of the conversation, it was about 20 yards from the pitch and to the best of my knowledge, nobody else would have heard or seen the conversation.

MS BATOHI: So, from that, can one actually assume that it must have been Malik, he either knew that John was going to pay you a visit or contact you, or he in fact had set it up?

MR CRONJE: I think he knew John, whether he had set up the meeting, that I wouldn't know.

MS BATOHI: But he certainly knew that John had contacted you?

MR CRONJE: That is what I was trying to put in my affidavit, yes.

MS BATOHI: Well, your affidavit says - "I was asked by Salim Malik whether ... " you had spoken to John. From that it would seem to suggest that Malik knew beforehand that there was going to be a meeting, but didn't know whether it had taken place, is that correct?

MR CRONJE: That is what I assume, yes.

COMMISSIONER: Well, you must read the next sentence to the witness, Ms Batohi. I think that makes it clear.

MS BATOHI: Yes, I beg your pardon.

"It was evident to me that he knew about the approach which I had received". You then go on to say - "I felt ashamed and embarrassed ... " why?

MR CRONJE: I was embarrassed that I even spoke to John.

MS BATOHI: But Mr Cronjé, once again, Malik didn't even know that you had considered at this stage, one can accept if he didn't know you had spoken to John, he wouldn't have known that you considered the offer, so why were you embarrassed, you hadn't in Malik's eyes at that stage, done anything wrong, what were you embarrassed about?

MR CRONJE: I didn't want anyone to even think that I was involved in anything or spoken to anyone or anything like that.

MS BATOHI: Then you go on to say - "Wishing to avoid even talking about the matter, you merely nodded". didn't you feel that by doing that, you were compromising your situation?

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