Johannesburg: The salary of the newly appointed South Africa cricket coach Gary Kirsten has been kept secret and even Cricket South Africa's legal and governance committee does not have a clue about it.

The chairman of CSA's legal and governance committee, Ajay Sooklal said that he was "appalled" when told that the salary of Kirsten was a secret.

Sooklal testified at the inquiry into the financial affairs of CSA instituted by Spots Minister Fikile Mbalula in the wake of almost two years of wrangling over IPL 2 bonuses paid to CSA chief executive Gerald Majola and other CSA executives without sanction from the board.

He told the inquiry on Monday that CSA lacked ethical leadership and that the IPL bonus issue, which saw CSA President Mtutuzeli Nyoka ousted twice after he called for an independent inquiry, had cost CSA sponsorships.

"We know the salary of the president, high court judges and chief justices but here we had a salary of a national coach that was secret and against (basic principles of) good governance," Sooklal said.

Kirsten was appointed the national coach of the Protean side after his contract with the Indian Cricket Board expired following his successful World Cup campaign with the Indian team.

Sooklal also told the inquiry how he had twice tried to convince Majola to pay back the bonus that he had paid to himself, but Majola indicated that he did not have the money to do so.

"CSA had resolved that. Since the bonus saga was keeping sponsors away and stifling the game from moving forward, that (Majola) should return the money for the good of the game.

"He agreed at first but later approached me and said he did not have the money," Sooklal said.

The hearing will continue on Wednesday with CSA testifying while Majola is expected to put his side of the story to the inquiry next week.