Cricket South Africa bans 4 cricketers for 7 to 12 years for match fixing

Some of the South African cricketers have made headlines due to the match fixing menace. On Monday, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced that as many as four Proteas cricketers -- Thami Tsolekile, Pumelela Matshikwe, Ethy Mbhalati and Jean Symes -- have been found guilty of fixing matches.

The cricketers have been banned for a duration of seven to 12 years for "contriving to fix a match or matches" in the 2015 Ram Slam Twenty20 cricket challenge, the cricket board said.

While former South Africa Test wicketkeeper Tsolekile has been banned for 12 years, Matshiwe and Mbhalati have both been banned for 10 years. Symes, meanwhile, has received a seven year ban. The players were guilty of accepting money from South Africa ex-international Gulam Bodi, who has been banned for 20 years for manipulating matches.

"It is our stated position that any form of corruption in the game will be dealt with severely. We will leave no stone unturned and we will do everything in our power to protect the integrity of the game," said CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat in a statement.

"Corruption is a very serious matter and for this reason we have devoted extensive time and resources to fully investigate every shred of evidence. We are still finalising certain aspects of the investigation."