l
Image: Sanral board chair Themba Mhambi was on the board that was reappointed. Picture: Facebook/DoTransport
Sanral board extensions point to deliberate neglect
- Boards for state-owned entities are crucial for good governance, and replacement boards should be appointed on time, says OUTA.
- "Caretaker boards" have become standard practice, which undermines governance.
- OUTA is concerned that the delay in appointing a new Sanral board may be being tolerated as it suits someone in power.
OUTA is concerned by yet another extension of the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) board, which has already seen its tenure being reinstated into a second three-year stint and consequently undergone a further two-year extension beyond that. This is no longer an isolated delay. What should be a short caretaker measure has become standard practice, and that shift has real consequences for governance.
Allowing boards to overstay weakens accountability and sends a clear signal that poor or questionable performance carries no real consequence. Instead of renewal and correction, weak boards remain in place while institutions absorb the damage. Over time, this erodes both internal discipline and public confidence.
Government knows many months, even years in advance of board term expiry dates. There is nothing unpredictable about this process, and there is no justification for repeatedly leaving it until the last moment and then having to implement last-minute extensions. Each extension avoids proper scrutiny and postpones the hard work of renewal and oversight.
This pattern raises an unavoidable question. Is this simple neglect, or is delay being tolerated because it suits those in power?
The same Sanral board has now served far longer than intended, while questions of governance concerns continue to surface. These include board overreach into operational matters, involvement in tender processes, and unresolved questions around senior management exits. None of these issues can be dismissed as minor or technical.
Responsibility for this situation ultimately lies with the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy. The appointment process should have been underway a good six months ago. Advertising positions at the eleventh hour does not meet the standards expected of public office, particularly in an entity with such significant public responsibilities and a large capital expenditure budget.
OUTA CEO Wayne Duvenage warns that this approach merely continues to hollowing out governance and public trust across the state.
“When boards overstay, accountability fades. Temporary arrangements become permanent, and weak governance is locked in.”
This issue is not unique to one entity. OUTA has observed the same practice across multiple state bodies, with consistent results, and which has been particularly bad in Higher Education. Oversight weakens, institutions stagnate, and public trust continues to erode.
OUTA calls for urgent and meaningful attention be given to the appointment of a properly constituted Sanral board, with clear timelines for renewal and transparent criteria. We also repeat our call for an independent inquiry into governance and procurement concerns at Sanral, either through Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts or an independent forensic process.
Caretaker boards should be the exception. In South Africa, they have become routine.
More information
Help OUTA oppose corruption
OUTA stands up against government corruption and mismanagement.
Our work is made possible through donations by our paying supporters.
Join us in working towards a better South Africa by becoming a paying OUTA supporter.
In July 2025, we won a court order overturning the Karpowership generation licences, and effectively blocked this project (see more here).
In September 2024, we exposed the dodgy driving licence card machine contract and, as a result, the Minister of Transport moved to cancel it in March 2025 (see here).
In April 2024, the Gauteng e-tolls were officially switched off after our long campaign lasting more than a decade (see more here).
We have published six annual reports assessing the work of Parliament (see more here).
In April 2023, we won a court order overturning the national State of Disaster on electricity (see more here).
We have been demanding access to information on toll concessionaire profits since 2019, and are now involved in court cases challenging this secrecy (see more here).
In May 2020, we had former SAA chair Dudu Myeni declared a delinquent director for life (see more here).
We campaign against state capture and have opened criminal cases against high-profile implicated people (see more here).
We regularly challenge unreasonably high electricity prices.
We want to see South Africa’s tax revenue and public funds used for the benefit of all, not a greedy few.
Donations of any amount are welcome.