The South African National Roads Agency has placed two additional senior executives on precautionary suspension, exacerbating the entity’s ongoing governance and leadership challenges, according to a statement from Sanral. The affected individuals are chief procurement officer Khomotso Mhelembe, who joined the agency less than a year ago, and head of legal Zolisa Zwakala, both instructed to step aside pending internal investigations.
This development compounds significant vacancies in critical divisions, including finance and procurement, where the agency has operated without a permanent chief financial officer for over two years. Inge Mulder, the former CFO, departed in July 2024 following an extended leave of absence initiated in November 2023, during which deputy Dumisani Maluleke served in an acting capacity and oversaw the release of the 2023 integrated annual report.
The suspensions stem from disputes over procurement protocols, with prior cases highlighting tensions between management and the board chaired by Themba Mhambi. In 2023, Mulder and head of supply chain Inba Thumbrian were sidelined for allegedly failing to enforce a board directive barring consulting engineers who design tenders exceeding R1 billion from participating in evaluations—a measure intended to enhance impartiality but deemed a departure from industry norms where such experts aid technical assessments.
Thumbrian and Mulder remained on full pay for months without disciplinary hearings, amid accusations of board overreach and dubious decisions. Sanral defended the policy as best practice, insisting no board members, including the chief executive, engage in tender evaluations. The agency has faced criticism for delays in major projects, including the R1.57 billion contract for the Mtentu Bridge, which was suspended in February 2025 pending probes into award processes, as reported by Moneyweb.
These disruptions occur against a backdrop of Sanral’s mandate to manage 22,000 kilometres of national roads, with a R340 billion portfolio plagued by funding shortfalls and corruption allegations dating to the State Capture era. The entity, under Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, has grappled with cancelled tenders like the R4 billion N2 and N3 upgrades in 2022 due to preferential procurement flaws, prompting legal battles and project stalls.
Critics, including Outa chief executive Wayne Duvenage, have decried the leadership instability under Mhambi, attributing it to excessive board intervention and a lack of transparency. Sanral maintains the suspensions are precautionary to safeguard integrity during inquiries, with no charges yet laid.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation has similarly suspended senior managers amid whistleblower claims, signalling broader sectoral governance strains. As noted by Business Day. With Sanral’s R100 billion annual budget reliant on tolls and government grants, resolving this turmoil is vital to advancing infrastructure like the Wild Coast Highway and alleviating economic bottlenecks in a nation where poor roads cost R1 trillion yearly in lost productivity, according to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. As investigations proceed, stakeholders urge swift resolutions to restore stability and project momentum.