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Cassim's June 26 testimony

MR WITZ: It's common cause, as I understand the position, you thereafter left. You went back to the Durban Airport and you caught a plane back to Johannesburg. Is that what happened in regard to your own position? You didn't stay over in Durban?

MR CASSIM: That's correct.

MR WITZ: Now after the One-day internationals were finished and the cricket series were over, the Triangular tournament was finished, did you at any stage keep up any telephonic conversations with Sanjay in respect of your relationship and what had happened that particular day?

MR CASSIM: No, well what happened that particular day I never kept any conversations with Sanjay, but he used to phone me on a regular basis.

MR WITZ: And when he phoned you, and we have been given in particular a list, and it also appears from the diagram, some 29, 30 calls if not more, that he made to your mobile number, which you don't have to read into the record, what was the nature of these conversations that he had with you? What were these conversations about? What did he want from you, Sanjay, when he phoned you?

MR CASSIM: Those sort of times when Sanjay used to call me if he couldn't get hold of Hansie he would ask me, please can you phone Hansie and ask him to - I would like to get in touch with him or if he could get in touch with me.

MR WITZ: And in response to this request from him what did you yourself do? Did you phone Mr Cronjé? Did you contact him telephonically?

MR CASSIM: There were times I would call Mr Cronjé and there were times I just wouldn't call him because you know I mean I used to get fed-up with Sanjay phoning me all the time and we had to get hold of Mr Cronjé.

MR WITZ: But it's clear that in view of what you have told myself as well as Adv Batohi, and especially in view of certain phone calls that were made, you did eventually make some contact with Sanjay, and you also made contact with Mr Cronjé in regard to these requests, these incessant requests from Sanjay, is that correct?

MR CASSIM: That's correct.

MR WITZ: Now shortly after the One-day international and the Triangular Series here in South Africa, the South African cricket team left to go and play the test match series and a series of One-day internationals in India, and you had further telephonic communication from Sanjay. I'd like you to just tell the Commissioner what this was about and on which occasion this occurred, and in particular if you can deal with paragraph 8.23 of your statement before you and just elaborate to the Commissioner.

MR CASSIM: I thereafter received a phone call from Sanjay when South Africa were playing in India and he informed me that he was now in India where he had gone to watch the test series between South Africa and India. I recall that he told me that he was staying at the same hotel as the South African players when the first One-day match against India was being played at Cochin. Sanjay would call me from there and says, please I need to speak to Hansie, can you phone Hansie, he's not answering the phone. I would phone Hansie. Sometimes I would get through, sometimes I wouldn't get through because Sanjay wanted to speak to him.

MR WITZ: Now when you say that you phoned, and you refer to Hansie, Mr Cronjé, where did you phone him? Did you phone him at the hotel? Did you phone him on the hotel phone? Where did these conversations take place between you and what language in particular did you speak to Mr Cronjé when you made these telephone calls?

MR CASSIM: I would contact Mr Cronjé on the hotel phones and I would speak in Afrikaans.

MR WITZ: And Mr Cassim if you can just give the Commissioner some rough idea, obviously I don't expect you to remember each and every phone call that was made, more-or-less what time, and I am talking about time in India which would obviously have been different to the South African time, up to more-or-less what time would you phone Mr Cronjé when you made contact with him to tell him, for example, that Sanjay is looking for him?

MR CASSIM: If my memory serves me correct India time round about 10:30, 11:00 was the last you could get a call through to Mr Cronjé.

MR WITZ: Mr Commissioner possibly this would be a convenient time to take the tea adjournment. I see I have gone slightly over.

COMMISSIONER: We will adjourn for 15 minutes, approximately.

COMMISSION ADJOURNS AT 11H13

ON RESUMPTION AT 11H37

COMMISSIONER: Mr Witz.

HAMID CASSIM: (s.u.o.)

EXAMINATION BY MR WITZ: (cont)

Thank you Mr Commissioner. Mr Cassim just before the tea adjournment we were dealing with certain aspects relating to what happened between Mr Cronjé as well as Sanjay in the hotel room, and your further telephonic discussions with Sanjay.

What I would like to just establish from you, the recent series that was held in India between South Africa and India, did you physically attend any of those matches? Did you go to India at all?

MR CASSIM: No, not at all.

MR WITZ: There has also been evidence led in this Commission relating to what is commonly called "the Sharjah Cup" in Dubai, which was also held this year. You yourself, did you at any stage attend that game?

MR CASSIM: No.

MR WITZ: Did you speak to Mr Cronjé when he was in Dubai during the playing of the Sharjah cup and if so tell the Commissioner in what connection these phone calls were made, please?

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