President Cyril Ramaphosa has expanded the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) investigation into the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, authorising a broader probe into allegations of maladministration, irregular procurement, and financial mismanagement. The SIU announced on Friday that Ramaphosa had signed Proclamation 351 of 2026, amending Proclamation 156 of 2024, which authorised the original investigation.
The initial probe covered four river-bridge projects—the Mngwenya, Umlalazi, Mhlathuze, and Phethu bridges—with the SIU tasked with investigating allegations of serious maladministration and unlawful or improper conduct relating to those projects. The amended proclamation, gazetted on 25 September 2026, significantly widens the scope of the investigation.
The expanded probe will now include road upgrades on the P361, D871, and D1290 in the uThukela District; subsidised public-transport services under tender ZNB 2278/24T; variation orders relating to contracts ZNQ 4197 and ZNQ 4198; and the extension of contract ZNB 136/17T. The investigation period has also been extended to cover matters up to the date of the amendment.
The SIU will examine whether procurement processes and related conduct complied with applicable laws and regulations, and whether any irregular, unauthorised, or wasteful expenditure or financial losses were incurred. The unit is empowered to institute civil proceedings in the Special Tribunal or High Court to recover losses suffered by the state, and to refer evidence of criminal conduct to the National Prosecuting Authority for possible prosecution.
The SIU has not named any officials or contractors in connection with the expanded investigation.
The development comes amid previous SIU investigations involving the KZN Transport Department. In April 2026, the Special Tribunal set aside an R85.8 million contract awarded to the ISF Shula Joint Venture for an eight-kilometre concrete barrier along the KwaZulu-Natal-Mozambique border. The tribunal found that the tender award was unlawful, while the SIU said the joint venture had submitted fraudulent documents and failed to complete the project.
The expansion of the probe signals growing scrutiny of procurement practices within the KZN Transport Department, which has faced repeated allegations of corruption and mismanagement. For Ramaphosa, the move underscores his administration’s stated commitment to rooting out corruption and holding public officials accountable. For the SIU, the expanded mandate represents a significant escalation in its efforts to recover public funds and bring wrongdoers to justice.
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