29 May 2026, PRETORIA – The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) has noted a recent news article pertaining to allegations of unlawful procurement practices in its Supply Chain Management Division (SCM or Procurement).
The allegations initially arose from a whistleblowing report received from the Minister of Transport’s office and referred to the new Board for investigation on assuming office on 1 March 2026. During the investigation of some of these allegations by SANRAL’s Internal Audit Division to determine the veracity thereof, five SANRAL SCM officials also reported similar allegations to the Board for investigation. The news article appeared when the SANRAL Board had already embarked on investigations to determine the veracity of the allegations contained in the whistleblowing report received from the Minister’s office as well as from the memorandum submitted by the said employees to the SANRAL Board. The allegations are being investigated by SANRAL’s Internal Audit Division as well as an external legal firm. The SANRAL Board is committed to open and transparent procurement and will implement recommendations and outcomes that emerge from the investigations.
SANRAL can confirm that three employees in SCM were suspended in April 2026 for gross misconduct that was unrelated to the memorandum that they submitted to the SANRAL Board. The suspended employees have since filed an application in the Labour Court to challenge their suspensions, which SANRAL has opposed as it forms part of an ongoing investigation in respect of employee misconduct.
Acutely aware of the sensitivity around this investigation and compounded by the reality that the labour matter that is now before a court of law, SANRAL recognises the sub-judice principle and cannot give further details at this stage. The same principle applies to the Routine Road Maintenance (RRM) contracts which the employees allege are shrouded in controversy and/or corruption and are also before a court of law. Members of the media are encouraged to also follow and have regard to the position which SANRAL will file on record before the court. In addition, SANRAL is currently going through the annual external audit of its business, with the Auditor General of South Africa and this includes Procurement.
SANRAL is nonetheless aware of a smear and disinformation campaign currently underway intended to discredit it by peddling spurious allegations in the public domain. The roads agency has an impeccable track record of governance and unqualified audit opinions running over 25 years.
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The roads agency encourages whistleblowing which is processed within applicable legal prescripts and takes such issues seriously. The organisation considers all serious allegations and where necessary, investigates them. Any officials found to have wilfully and/or negligently breached procurement prescripts, including through dishonesty and/or through collusion practices, will be charged and subjected to disciplinary action. There are ongoing reforms which are currently underway in SANRAL’s procurement environment under the leadership of the newly appointed Board.
SANRAL is committed to dealing with the procurement challenges that the organisation has experienced in order to return it to an effective and efficient enabler of economic and social development through its road infrastructure projects.
-ENDS-
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Issued by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL). For editorial content or additional information contact Lwando Mahlasela on 082 440 5305 or mahlaselal@nra.co.za