Cricket South Africa (CSA) has decided to launch an investigation into the Social Justice and Nation Building (SJN) report, released last Wednesday (December 15).

The report found legends like Graeme Smith and Mark Boucher to have engaged in racially prejudiced conduct.

The Ombudsman, who prepared the SJN Report, last week said that he was not in a position to make "definite findings" and recommended that a further process be undertaken in this regard.

"In keeping with this approach, the Board has decided to institute formal inquiries into CSA employees, suppliers, or contractors who are implicated by the SJN report. The Board has done so mindful of its duty to treat allegations of racism or discrimination with the utmost seriousness and in a manner that ensures fairness and due process in terms of South Africa's labour legislation and the Constitution," said CSA in an official release.

The formal inquiries will take place in early 2022. They will include formal inquiries into the conduct of Smith, the CSA Director of Cricket, and Boucher, the coach of the South African men's team.

The formal inquiries will be conducted by independent legal professionals and the details will be announced in due course.

Smith and Boucher continue to hold their respective posts will perform their roles during the upcoming home series against India.

"CSA respects the SJN process and we are engaging with the report in detail and holistically. We have taken careful cognisance of the recommendation of the Ombudsman, that in appropriate cases, a further process should be instituted to test the evidence and submissions made, and we have decided that this is indeed the appropriate route to follow," says CSA Board chairperson, Lawson Naidoo.

"We hope this will give implicated parties a fair opportunity to be heard so that finality can be achieved, and any final findings can then be acted on," he said.

Further steps and action by CSA to transform cricket and act on other applicable recommendations in the SJN report, aligned to the Board's new strategic framework and pillars of access, inclusion, and excellence, are set to be announced in the new year.

(With CSA inputs)