Johannesburg - Governance at the Road Agency Limpopo (RAL), a government entity responsible for building new roads, has collapsed.
At the centre of the paralysis was the intriguing Roads and Transport Department’s decision, under former MEC Pinky Kekana, to transfer the entity’s functions to controversial company On-Point Engineering in 2010.
The department is the sole shareholder of the RAL.
Subsequently, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela revealed in a report last year that On-Point’s tender bid to the department “consisted of a deliberate and fraudulent misrepresentation”.
And since the termination of On-Point’s R52 million contract last year, the department hasn’t built a single new road.
Project managers who had been instructed to work on On-Point projects have since returned to the RAL.
“The department doesn’t even have one qualified engineer… projects that you see around belong to Sanral SA National Roads Agency Limited). The province will not build a single road anytime soon,” said a senior official, who did not want to be named.
Roads and Transport Department head Hanli du Plessis said on Monday she would respond today because she was “busy running the department”.
With the poor governance that is plaguing the RAL, it is doubtful that the agency, with a 10 000km network backlog, will build any new roads this financial year.
Auditor-General Terence Nombembe noted in a report last year that the board of directors, appointed by Kekana, is responsible for the prevailing state of affairs.
“The board of directors did not ensure that the entity is run efficiently and effectively,” the Auditor-General’s report pointed out last year.
Since the acrimonious departure of fraud accused Alice Mogotlane last year, the agency has had four acting chief executives.
Mogotlane is suing the RAL for constructive dismissal.
The chief financial officer position, which was left vacant when Mogotlane became chief executive in 2010, has still not been filled.