Jurie Roux's day in court delayed to 2019?

Cape Town - The University of Stellenbosch still has its sights set on SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux.

The university sued Roux for R32m in 2015 - the amount they believe Roux used to help fund the Maties Rugby Club while he served as its chairperson.

It was also reported in January 2016 that Roux “manipulated” financial management systems to favour the rugby programme during his time at Stellenbosch.

He allegedly used software that would not leave an audit trail in making "unauthorised" transfers from Stellenbosch University's reserve funds to the Stellenbosch Rugby Club.

At the time, Afrikaans website Netwerk24 reported that this occurred over a period of nine years when Roux had access to the university’s financial management system.

It came after a preliminary report by audit firm KPMG revealed that Roux “hid” spending and “withheld” about R35m of the university’s reserves from the university council.

Roux reportedly referred to the money as “sparries”.

On Wednesday (February 14, 2018), Netwerk24 reported that the pre-trial for the case will begin in the Western Cape High Court on March 22 at which the judge will determine whether all necessary documents are in order and that the case is ready to be heard.

However, it appears the court roll is fully booked for 2018 and that the hearing may only take place in 2019.

According to court documents, Roux and a colleague, Chris de Beer (then the deputy director of student fees), worked together between 2002 and 2010 where they made "unauthorised" transfers from the university's reserve funds.

There was also information obtained from the KPMG report which indicated that Roux may have gained personal benefit from the money paid to the Maties Rugby Club.

Roux left his job as chairperson of the Stellenbosch Rugby Club in 2010 to become SA Rugby CEO.

At the time of the allegations, SA Rugby said its executive committee would discuss the matter, with then-president Oregan Hoskins saying: “The charges are serious and I’ve told the members of the executive committee that things are starting to turn ugly, we have to discuss it."

Roux's contract with SA Rugby was due to expire in 2015, but it was extended by five years in August 2014.