Former finance minister Trevor Manuel will steer the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2027 men’s Cricket World Cup, which South Africa will host in partnership with Zimbabwe and Namibia. Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirmed the 15-member board in Johannesburg on Thursday.
Key appointments
The mix is deliberately broad: seven independent directors, two provincial presidents, one CSA board representative, two government nominees and three senior CSA executives, including chief executive Pholetsi Moseki. Announcing the group, CSA members’ council president Rihan Richards said, “We deliberately went with a lot of independents in order to bring in a variety of skills. The operational matters will be covered from within the CSA perspective.”
Manuel’s new brief
Manuel, a central figure in South Africa’s first democratic cabinet and an experienced company director, enters sport administration for the first time. “I’ve done many different things in my life. Sports administration is not one of them,” he conceded. “Trying to do this late in my life is not easy for me. We have seven independent non-executive directors, two of whom served on the LOC for 2010, very good legal people, strong financial people and representatives of the minister and the presidency. We must make that commitment to South Africa, to sport, to the durability of the exercise. This is a nation-building exercise.”
The independent cohort includes former deputy president Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Nomfanelo Magwentshu, chief operating officer for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Dr Stavros Nicolaou, who chaired CSA’s interim board during its transition to a majority-independent structure, also returns.
Provincial presidents Johannes Adams (Western Province) and Yunus Bobat (KwaZulu-Natal) take their seats. Adams’ inclusion raises eyebrows: Western Province faces a sizeable deficit of roughly R15 million and ongoing facility repairs at Newlands. Balancing local challenges with World Cup duties will test his capacity.
Upgrades and pitches
Infrastructure work is already under way. New floodlights are being installed at Newlands, the Wanderers, SuperSport Park and Kingsmead. All four venues will trial drop-in pitches—portable playing surfaces that slot into a prepared cavity—rather than fully relaying the square. CSA believes the method is quicker and cheaper, and expects the strips to be match-ready for the 2026-27 domestic season, a year before the tournament.
Early tasks for the LOC
• Finalise match allocation across three nations.
• Coordinate cross-border logistics, including visas and transport.
• Secure commercial partners while meeting ICC hosting standards.
• Deliver community programmes linking the event to local cricket.
Balance of power
While CSA retains operational control, the heavy independent presence mirrors governance reforms introduced after administrative turmoil in 2020-21. Analysts see the structure as a hedge against past missteps. The challenge will be maintaining cohesion once budgeting decisions and venue compromises arise.
Why Manuel?
His reputation for fiscal discipline as finance minister and his network in government and business made him an obvious approach. CSA insiders suggest political weight will help cut red tape, especially when three governments are in play. His lack of cricket background is equally clear; the committee will lean on technical specialists for on-field matters.
Room for cautious optimism
Lessons from 2010’s football show South Africa can deliver large-scale events. The 2027 World Cup, however, involves a sport with smaller budgets and more complex playing-surface requirements. Timelines are tight: qualification begins in early 2026, and venues must be signed off by the ICC well before then.
Still, Manuel’s appointment, supported by seasoned administrators, gives the project a head start on diplomacy and finance. Success will hinge on marrying those strengths with detailed cricket knowledge—precisely the balance the LOC claims to have struck.
Full LOC membership
Trevor Manuel – independent chair
CSA executives: Pholetsi Moseki (CEO), plus two senior managers
Independent directors: Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Nomfanelo Magwentshu, Dr Stavros Nicolaou and four others yet to be publicly named
Provincial presidents: Johannes Adams (Western Province), Yunus Bobat (KwaZulu-Natal)
Government nominees: representatives of the sports ministry and the presidency
CSA board representative: one non-executive director
The first LOC meeting is pencilled in for next month, when budget outlines and governance charters should be ratified. From there, attention turns to the calendar: only two summers remain before the World Cup warm-up matches begin.
