SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING - 4 February 2015 at 18h30

A SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING is called for 18h30 Wed. 4^th February 2015 in the Clubhouse. All full Members are urged to be fully informed and to attend.

Click on this link  to read Adv. Olivier's report: Adv. Olivier's report.

The Agenda:

To hear the Appeal of Mr Darius (Bobo) Mentor against the sanctions imposed upon him by the Management Committee of the Kimberley Golf Club on 11^th December 2014 for his misconduct in the 2014 Castle Lite Barney Barnato. And, if so felt, for the Members in attendance to recommend an alternative sanction/s.

The Misconduct of Mr Darius Mentor:

Submitting a substituted scorecard that materially differed from the original and had it been accepted would have resulted in Mr Mentor receiving first prize on the day, Wednesday 29^th October 2014.

The Sanction imposed by the Management Committee of the Kimberley Golf Club:

a 20 (twenty) year ban from playing at the Kimberley Golf Club and from the property of the Kimberley Golf Club (2014 – 2034).

(See below for motivation)

A Broad Overview:

The evidence presented by the Marker led the Tournament Committee of the Barney Barnato to disqualify the result submitted on the day and to raise the allegation of misconduct.

(On a later date Mr Darius Mentor acknowledged in writing that he had in fact submitted a substitute scorecard.)

The allegation of misconduct also led to a Disciplinary Enquiry being held on 5^th December 2014.  The Presiding Officer was Chairperson Adv. A.D. Olivier and the Club representative was Mr Oban Cronje.

The full report by Adv. Olivier including the evidence led, the answers given, the conclusion reached and the recommended sanctions are available to the Members of the Kimberley Golf Club via a link to the BUGLE. This report is also available, on request only, from the Manager’s Office.

Although the following information is available from the aforementioned report, to assist the Members attending the Special General Meeting in their considerations, it might be pertinent to underline herewith the sanctions called for by Mr. Oban Cronje:

1.         A lifelong ban of Mr Mentor from the Tournament (Barney Barnato).

2.         A 2-year suspension of Mr Mentor’s membership with the Club;

3.         A suspension of Mr Mentor from competitions at the Club once he has       served the suspension of his Club membership.   

Equally important are the sanctions recommended by Adv. Olivier:

1.         That Mr Mentor be banned from playing in the Barney Barnato          Tournament for the next 20 years.

2.         That Mr Mentor’s membership of the Kimberley Golf Club be suspended

            for a period of 18 months.

3.         That after the expiry of the above period of 18 months and upon Mr           Mentor’s return to the Club as a member, Mr Mentor be banned from

            playing in any tournaments or competitions held by the Club, for a            twelve month period.

The motivation for the Management Committee of the Kimberley Golf Club to impose the sanctions it did:

1          A precedent was set in the 2011 Barney Barnato. For a lesser         incident of    misconduct the player, not a Member of the KGC, was banned for life from             the property of the Kimberley Golf Club.

2          By substituting a full scorecard this incident is the most serious breach of the   “Rules” and breach of “Integrity” to have been investigated at the Kimberley             Golf Club in recent             history.

3          To add insult to injury Mr Mentor was, on the day, a guest of the Main Sponsor,             Castle Lite.

4          Mr Mentor by his actions undermined the integrity of the Barney Barnato, a      tournament 25 years in the making. This can adversely affect sponsorship,            tournament entry, Club revenue and the very success of the event.

5          Mr Mentor by his actions undermined the integrity of the Kimberley Golf Club.             This, too, can affect sponsorship, competition entry, membership and the revenue of the Club.

6          The direct legal costs incurred by the Club as a result of Mr Mentor’s actions    are, to date, R8 775.

7          The direct man hours required of the Management Committee and the Staff     as a result of Mr Mentor’s actions are considerable.

8          Members of the Club and participants in the Barney Barnato expect to see

            that their interests are protected and that reasonable justice is done.

9          Triviality of the matter is not an option.  

10        Mr Mentor’s remorse seems more for the privileges that he may have lost and             less for the damage / cost that he may have caused the Club. 

 11       Mr Mentor, in mitigation, mentioned that his poor conduct should be set aside            as the necessity for “integrity” was not underlined when he joined the Club.     If the necessity for integrity is required to be explained to a perspective      Member then that perspective Member has no place in the world of golf and          less at the Kimberley Golf Club.

12        Golf in the RSA is governed by the Rules of the R & A Ltd., they apply       uniformly to all countries who fall under that body, no exceptions, no          special privileges for us in the RSA. Integrity (the quality of being honest and         having strong moral principles) is the lifeblood of the sport, “the game relies      on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to            abide by the Rules.” This, too, must apply uniformly, there are no exceptions,   we in the RSA are required to step up to the tee.