Stellenbosch University welcomes arbitration decision ordering Roux to repay damages

SA Rugby Union (SARU) CEO Jurie Roux and former Stellenbosch University interim vice chancellor Chris de Beer have the right to appeal a decision taken against them, however, the university has welcomed the arbitration decision which orders Roux to repay R37-million in damages to the institution.

Advocate Alasdair Sholto-Douglas, who was appointed arbitrator in the matter, ruled on Wednesday that Roux and De Beer acted in breach of their contracts while working in the institution’s finance department.

Sholto-Douglas found that Roux and De Beer had allocated millions from the institution’s coffers in unbudgeted expenditure to the Maties rugby club.

Roux also held various other leadership positions at the rugby club before he was appointed the head of Saru in 2013.

Meanwhile, the Executive Council of SA Rugby says it has noted the outcome of the arbitration process involving Roux and his former employer, Stellenbosch University.

SARU says the matter has been referred to their legal advisers.

The Exec Council of SA Rugby has noted the outcome of the arbitration involving Jurie Roux and his former employer, Stellenbosch Univ. We have referred the matter to our legal advisers for their advice on governance matters, as we have throughout this process.

— Springboks (@Springboks) December 24, 2020

De Beer must repay nearly R2 million to the university after transferring the reserve funds into a personal bank account to draw interest.

The two have also been ordered to pay the university’s legal costs.