Civil society organisation the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) says the second extension of the tenure of the board overseeing the State-owned South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) for a further two years indicates that what should have been a short, caretaker measure has become standard practice, which has consequences for governance.

The current Sanral board had previously had its tenure reinstated for a second three-year stint, which had been the first extension.

Allowing boards to overstay weakens accountability and sends a clear signal that poor or questionable performance carries no consequence. Instead of renewal and correction, weak boards remain in place while institutions absorb the damage. Over time, this erodes internal discipline and public confidence, says Outa.

Caretaker boards should be the exception but, in South Africa, they have become routine, it avers.

The process of renewing board tenure is predictable 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, the organisation says.

Further, Outa alleges that there are questions of governance levelled at the same Sanral board, including alleged board overreach into operational matters, involvement in tender processes and unresolved questions around senior management exits, which are not minor or technical issues.

Responsibility lies with Transport Minister Barbara Creecy. The appointment process should have been under way six months ago, Outa says.

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, it says.

“This approach continues to hollow out governance and public trust across the State. When boards overstay, accountability fades. Temporary arrangements become permanent, and weak governance is locked in,” says Outa CEO Wayne Duvenage.

Therefore, Outa calls for urgent and meaningful attention to 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,” it says.