But refuses to say why.
The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has lifted the precautionary suspensions of its chief procurement officer and chief audit executive but refused to provide any details about what led to the lifting of the suspensions.
The roads agency earlier this month also refused to disclose the reasons for chief procurement officer (CPO) Khomotso Mhelembe and chief audit executive Zolisa Zwakala being placed on precautionary suspension.
Responding to a Moneyweb query, Sanral media relations officer Lwando Mahlasela on Wednesday confirmed that the precautionary suspension of Mhelembe and Zwakala had been lifted.
Sanral confirmed on 31 October 2025 that the two were placed on precautionary suspension effective from 27 October 2025.
However, Mahlasela on Wednesday did not respond to a question about the date on which the suspensions were lifted.
This query followed Moneyweb being informed by construction industry sources that Mhelembe returned to work on Monday.
Sanral previously referred to a report by Moneyweb about the reasons for the suspensions, based on information provided by the same sources, as amounting “to nothing more than street gossip and unfounded rumours”.
ALSO READ: Sanral’s suspension of procurement chief believed linked to R1.5bn Chinese tender award
Alleged interference in tender awards
Construction industry sources were quoted in that article as claiming the suspensions were believed to be related to Mhelembe’s alleged interference in tender awards, particularly the suspended award of the R1.57 billion Masekwaspoort tender.
This tender was awarded to the Chinese Base Major Construction-China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) joint venture (JV) in November 2024.
Mahlasela said on Wednesday that Sanral does not generally deal with internal matters involving its employees in the media “in order to maintain confidentiality and safeguard the interests of the entity and its employees”.
“Sanral can only go as far as confirming that the suspensions … have been uplifted by the entity, allowing [Mhelembe and Zwakala] to return to work and continue with their duties and responsibilities.
“Sanral will not deal with the outcome of the investigation in the media,” he said.
Sanral did not respond to a number of questions posed by Moneyweb, including:
- What led to the lifting of the suspensions and the basis on which Mhelembe had returned to work;
- Whether Zwakala had returned to work;
- Who had authorised the precautionary suspension of Mhelembe and Zwakala and who had authorised the upliftment of their suspensions; and
- The outcome of any investigation that resulted in the decision to uplift Mhelembe and Zwakala’s suspensions.
Construction industry sources claimed that Zwakala had refused to return to work, and that the suspensions were imposed and uplifted by two different officials at Sanral.
Mahlasela, in response to a follow-up query from Moneyweb, said: “Sanral has an accounting officer and a board. Suspensions, and the lifting of these, are ordinarily processed by these authorities.”
ALSO READ: Sanral uncovers irregularities in R1.57bn tender award to Chinese JV
Board overreach?
Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) CEO Wayne Duvenage said on Wednesday the lack of transparency by Sanral is not justified and Outa has always had problems with the road agency’s transparency.
Duvenage questioned why different officials had apparently imposed and uplifted the precautionary suspension, stressing that you would expect the same person who imposed the precautionary suspension to uplift it.
He said this is indicative of overreach. He referred to overreach by the Sanral board almost two years ago when it appointed executives – when the executive committee should have the final say and appoint executives, although it might need to get board approval for the appointments.
Duvenage said the moves around Mhelembe and Zwakala “once again smacks of board overreach”.
ALSO READ: Sanral faces scrutiny over board changes and possible tender award delays
He said Outa is concerned about appointments at Sanral and the tendering process, particularly tenders that are put on hold and then reissued.
“It’s a mess. This is not the Sanral that it used to be. They have lost skills, governance, competence.”
Duvenage said Outa would like Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy to get involved with Sanral and have the board investigated.
“I would get an independent investigation team to unpack exactly what is going on here [at Sanral] and conduct an ethics and governance audit, an anonymous and strictly confidential audit, with all management in that organisation.
“The minister must take control because there have been enough red flags around Sanral and their conduct and what that board is doing.”
This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
