Sanral procurement chief suspended again

The latest moves come amid concerns about Sanral’s performance, including fewer tenders, underspending, and possible budget cuts by National Treasury. Picture: Moneyweb The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has suspended its chief procurement officer – again. Informed sources told Moneyweb that Khomotso Mhelembe and two general managers in the road agency’s procurement office who reported to her were placed on precautionary suspension by the Sanral board last Wednesay (29 April).

Sanral GM for communications and marketing Vusi Mona declined to confirm or deny the suspensions or comment on the reasons behind them. Mona said this is in line with Sanral’s policy of not generally commenting on internal matters involving its employees in the media to maintain confidentiality and safeguard the interests of the entity and its employees. Moneyweb has been unable to establish the identities of the two general managers placed on precautionary suspension.

Sanral’s chief audit officer Zolisa Zwakala, who was previously placed on precautionary suspension when Mhelembe was first suspended, is not believed to have been suspended again. The roads agency later confirmed on 19 November 2025 that the suspensions had been lifted, but declined to provide reasons for the decision. Moneyweb has also been reliably informed that Transport Minister Barbara Creecy recently wrote to Sanral expressing concern about the agency’s performance and its apparent failure to meet some targets set out in its annual performance plan.

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These concerns are believed to relate to a significant decline in the number of tenders awarded by Sanral compared to past years, especially as the state of the country’s roads has been deteriorating. The concerns also reportedly involve an increase in the number of tender awards cancelled, as well as challenges and underspending in Sanral’s road asset infrastructure management budget, which creates a risk that National Treasury will order the return of these unspent finances.

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