Johannesburg - A report that a friend of Transport Minister Sibusiso
Ndebele is in line for the position of CEO of the SA National Roads
Agency Ltd (Sanral) was denied on Friday.
"The board of directors of Sanral is responsible for
the recruitment and selection of the agency's CEO, not the department of
transport or the minister," transport spokesman Tiyani Rikhotso said on
Friday.
"The board will within a reasonable period of time
undertake a thorough and legitimate process of finding a suitable
candidate to steer Sanral forward."
He was reacting to a report on the Mail & Guardian on Friday, that Chris Hlabisa "tops the list" for the position of CEO.
"The report is devoid of any grain of truth, misleading
and can only be aimed at causing confusion and advancing narrow
self-interests at the expense of the department and Sanral."
Rikhotso said suggestions that Hlabisa was "Ndebele's
buddy" were a figment of someone's imagination, aimed at casting
aspersions on a professional working relationship.
"It should further be noted that Minister Ndebele has
been in the transport sector for the past 18 years and common sense
would dictate that during these two decades, he would have interacted
and worked with several professionals within this field."
He said the board would within a reasonable period undertake a thorough and legitimate process of finding a suitable CEO.
"Once the board finalises the process and agrees on a
candidate, it will request the minister [Ndebele] to table its
recommendation before Cabinet, which has the authority to appoint or not
to appoint," Rikhotso said.
Sanral's board announced on Tuesday that Nazir Alli
resigned as CEO. Engineering executive Koos Smit would become acting CEO
when Alli leaves in June.