Pretoria - Calls for an independent probe into the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) are not new, says the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) on Monday.
Responding to comments made by Cosatu national spokesperson, Patrick Craven, on Monday morning, Sanral spokesperson, Vusi Mona, said the roads agency had co-operated with requests to investigate GFIP in the past and will do so in future. He said SANRAL had nothing to hide.
“Sanral is also on record as having said we would welcome any investigation by any competent authority into the project. After allegations were made about alleged irregularities, SANRAL invited the Public Protector to probe the procurement process that was followed in this project.
“The Public Protector announced in May last year that her office will conduct a preliminary investigation into complaints about the alleged tender irregularities. We await the outcome of that investigation," Mona said.
He said SANRAL had throughout the entire process been transparent in all its dealing with regards to GFIP. “Our dealings with Cosatu have been no different. In fact we have provided them with documents related to the project.”
Mona said in his Constitutional Court ruling handed down in September 2012, Deputy Chief Justice Moseneke effectively ruled that the project could only be stopped if there was "proof of unlawfulness” or “fraud or corruption".
"Our understanding of that judgement is that the ConCourt was asking for more than just smoke and allegations. To date, no one, not even the parties we are facing in court, have produced any evidence of unlawfulness, fraud or corruption," Mona said.
He said Cosatu was welcome to call for an independent probe.
“We think its latest call is better than the public posturing and questioning of SANRAL's integrity on the basis of no evidence," Mona said. – SAnews.gov.za
