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CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki is confident transformation will not take a backward step in the new T20 League.
Two black Proteas-capped players expressed concerns after reports emerged the new tournament will not have transformation targets.
Moseki says by virtue of the numbers required (60 SA players), black players will comfortably fill the ranks.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) CEO Pholetsi Moseki is confident transformation will not take a backward step when the country's new-look T20 competition gets under way next year.
The league, which is set to be launched in January 2023, will not enforce the transformation targets that currently accompany South Africa's first-class competitions.
There are six franchises confirmed for the yet-to-be-named T20 competition, and all have been bought by Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise owners.
Two black Proteas-capped internationals, who spoke to Sport24 on condition of anonymity, have voiced their concerns over the stipulation.
Due to the six franchise owners being of IPL origin, the players are worried the exposure garnered from the tournament wouldn't extend to black players without transformation targets in place.
"It's very disappointing," said one international, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation.
"You're only going to find the cream of the crop that will get spots to play - probably not more than 10 players of colour there.
"It's going to be KG [Kagiso Rabada], Lungi [Ngidi], and Temba [Bavuma] - or Proteas players - plus two or three from the franchise system, which is going to be very unfair to all players of colour.
"People forget there are guys doing well but are trying to get established that need this kind of platform. To always use the same faces to market black players is not good for us as black cricketers."
However, Moseki said by virtue of needing 60 players from the local pool, which is still under transformation embargo, black players would comfortably make the cut.
"The nature of the league and number of required players will take care of [transformation] numbers," he told Sport24 from the UK.
"The league requires about 60 players that are locally signed. In our high-performance structure - the Proteas, SA 'A' and other top guys - at least half of them are black.
"About 40 of our high-performance players will be signed and the remaining 20 players will be made up of Division 1 and 2 players.
"There will be transformed teams anyway and we felt it won't be necessary for us to stipulate in that sense. We are comfortable with that purely because of the numbers required.
"Our domestic teams are already full of black players - black African, coloured and Indian - and even in the Proteas, half the players are black."
Another black player, who has also represented South Africa, was incredulous about the opportunities that would be available to black players.
"We've seen a flood of black African cricketers coming through. But in terms of opportunities, I'm not sure if they'll get them," he said, also asking to remain anonymous as he was still playing the game.
"The thinking will be weighted towards the quality of cricket but if there are no opportunities, then you cannot test that quality.
"If you look at how Sibs [Makhanya] played for the Titans last season - he wasn't one of their well-known players - he's grown to become one of the better No 5s in the country in white ball cricket.
"Lesiba Ngoepe scored a hundred in a T20 game in Zimbabwe … it would be fantastic if those players could get opportunities.
"Giving those guys exposure will be good for South African cricket."
South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) CEO Andrew Breetzke echoed Moseki's stance that the numbers required would organically supply the new tournament with black talent.
"I do know that the transformation issues have been discussed, although I'm not in the discussions," Breetzke told Sport24.
"It appears as though there's going to be no specific targets, the objective of transformation is still there.
"If you listed our top 60 players that we have in the country and spread them across the [six] teams, those black African players are going to be there.
"The reality is that all players who participate in this are going to do well financially.
"There will be crossover guys who play IPL and this T20 event - that marquee group of players who travel the world and that's a given in any T20 league trying to establish itself.
"Having said that, the majority of players in these teams are going to be our domestic cricketers."
Breetzke added: 'Given that majority of players are going to be South African, there's going to be a significant South African influence in the coaching staff, which again means those very same people are going to be selecting our players.'
The RP Sanjiv Goenka Group, which owns the IPL's Lucknow Super Giants, pulled the first trigger by appointing Lance Klusener as the Durban franchise's head coach.
As Dolphins coach, Klusener had an impeccable record of giving players equal opportunities, fast-tracking black talent in the process.
Moseki, meanwhile, also moved to quell an uproar the T20 League would benefit the six centres where the franchises will be based - Kingsmead, SuperSport Park, Wanderers, Nelson Mandela Bay, Paarl and Cape Town.
"After the [team owners] have submitted their proposals, it's one of the things we'll start working on," he said about the development plans.
"Cricket services basically gave them a list of projects that we are keen to do but are struggling with funding for them.
"I need to highlight that, development will be managed from the national office, so everyone will benefit, whether there's a team based there or not."
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