Fikile Mbalula

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula along with Board Chair Themba Mhambi briefed the media on irregular tenders and acquisition processes.

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula has poured cold water over allegations that he was kicked out of a cabinet meeting due to a lack of preparation.

The allegations made by the Sunday Independent are unjustified and malicious,” said Gungubele. Mbalula said he would not address the matter publicly. This has been a long-standing convention and these allegations are unfounded.

Minister says if there is evidence that the Board was derelict in the execution of its fiduciary duties, steps will be taken.

Our only interest is to ensure that the Board has given expression to the letter and spirit of the SANRAL Act and other applicable prescripts in the exercise of its responsibilities. I will therefore not hesitate to act against the Board if there is evidence that the Board was derelict in the execution of its fiduciary duties. We are unequivocal in our resolve not to tolerate malfeasance for expediency in any of our entities. The track record of SANRAL over the two decades of its existence has given us comfort that it has the requisite capacity and skills to execute its mandate. We have first-hand experience at PRASA on such litigation that has the potential to hold up projects for years. We have taken note of the reports relating to the cancellation of 5 tenders with a collective value of R17.4 billion.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has defended Sanral's move to not approve the awarding of contracts valued at R17.47 billion.

“We must do everything in our power to ensure that the integrity of the award process is not brought into question. “It is equally my expectation that the board will not hesitate to implement consequences management against those found culpable for the lapses that have resulted in the decision not to award these tenders,” the minister said. “The strategic nature of the projects Sanral is responsible for require that the company be circumspect in handling procurement matters and ensure probity in the awarding of contracts. “Furthermore, the strategic nature of the projects in question requires of us to ensure that governance principles are not undermined, and that the adjudication process can withstand scrutiny. During Monday’s briefing, Mbalula said Sanral had acted “in the best interests” of the company as well as maintaining “good governance” in its decision to cancel the tenders. “The tenders were cancelled due to a material irregularity in the tender process where a resolution made by the board in January 2020 was not implemented in the evaluation of the said tenders,” Sanral spokesperson Vusi Mona said.

Fikile Mbalula has not responded to claims that Cyril Ramaphosa ejected him from a meeting last week - and his critics have piled in.

Usually vocal on Twitter, Mbalula has been silent in the face of these allegations. But, if the latest rumblings from Cabinet are correct, Cyril Ramaphosa and his colleagues DO NOT share this view. The Transport Minister is something of a lightning rod for controversy.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has refuted allegations that he was kicked out of a Cabinet meeting by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“The allegations made by the Sunday Independent are therefore unjustified and malicious. We are a public entity, and we are public representatives, and we have got to account and explain ourselves. Any unauthorised or premature disclosure of Cabinet meetings or information undermines the collective responsibility of Cabinet.”

Minister says if there is evidence that the Board was derelict in the execution of its fiduciary duties, steps will be taken.

Our only interest is to ensure that the Board has given expression to the letter and spirit of the SANRAL Act and other applicable prescripts in the exercise of its responsibilities. I will therefore not hesitate to act against the Board if there is evidence that the Board was derelict in the execution of its fiduciary duties. We are unequivocal in our resolve not to tolerate malfeasance for expediency in any of our entities. The track record of SANRAL over the two decades of its existence has given us comfort that it has the requisite capacity and skills to execute its mandate. We have first-hand experience at PRASA on such litigation that has the potential to hold up projects for years. We have taken note of the reports relating to the cancellation of 5 tenders with a collective value of R17.4 billion.

Sanral will readvertise cancelled tenders - but an "independent, public institution" with expertise in infrastructure procurement will assist in bid ...

In the case of the tender for the Mtentu Bridge - part of the N2 Wild Coast project - a bid that should have been disqualified, was accepted. In light of this, the board decided not to approve the awards. In the case of the Ashburton interchange project, a bidder was wrongfully disqualified. The FNB/BER civil confidence index shows that confidence was at 9, out of 100. But more than a year down the line, the board discovered this resolution was not adhered to - and essentially, the internal control was violated. Other concessions were made, which were not extended to other bidders. He noted that the board is not usually involved in procurement processes. The aim was to have another independent engineering consultant look at the bids and make recommendations to the Bid Evaluation Committee. Mbalula directed aggrieved bidders to approach the courts to challenge board decisions. Mhambi could not name the entity yet, as it has not yet been approached by Sanral, nor has an agreement been reached. The total value of cancelled tenders amounted to R17.47 billion. "There have been people calling me, some of them I believe are tenderpreneurs, who have tendered here.

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula has backed the decision by the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) to cancel road improvement and construction tenders worth ...

The Sanral board has halted at least five key projects, including improvements to the EB Cloete interchange, the N2 and N3 connection in KwaZulu-Natal which was expected to cost R4.3bn. The crucial Mtentu River bridge project — which will become one of the highest bridges in Africa and among the longest in the world once completed — valued at about R3.4bn has also been halted... A subscription helps you enjoy the best of our business content every day along with benefits such as articles from our international business news partners; ProfileData financial data; and digital access to the Sunday Times and Sunday Times Daily. Transport minister Fikile Mbalula has backed the decision by the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) to cancel road improvement and construction tenders worth about R17bn, saying the drastic step is meant to curb rampant corruption which has brought many parastatals to their knees.

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula has poured cold water over allegations that he was kicked out of a cabinet meeting due to a lack of preparation.

The allegations made by the Sunday Independent are unjustified and malicious,” said Gungubele. Mbalula said he would not address the matter publicly. This has been a long-standing convention and these allegations are unfounded.

Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele says claims that Fikile Mbalula was asked to leave a Cabinet meeting by President Cyril Ramaphosa are not true.

A source allegedly told the newspaper that Mbalula's schedule makes it difficult for him to read in advance. In light of the report, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele has rubbished the claims made in the newspaper article and says Mbalula was never kicked out, reports News24. Gungulele stated that the allegations were completely unfounded. - Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele has spoken about the claims that Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula was booted from a Cabinet meeting