Parliament Calls for Audit of Moriel Infrastructure
The Construction Industry Development Board has removed Moriel Infrastructure Group from its national register after SANRAL contracts worth R204.5 million were awarded to the firm.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Construction
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Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Transport has called for an audit of Moriel Infrastructure Group's work after the Construction Industry Development Board removed the company from its national register. SANRAL awarded the firm three road contracts worth R204.5 million.
Why it matters
Moriel was among 13 companies removed from the CIDB register following findings of misrepresentation in applications for higher contractor registration grades. The removal raises questions about how state road projects were awarded and monitored.
SANRAL has paid at least R61.2 million to Moriel across two projects, including R37.4 million toward the active N2 contract. The total value of the three contracts is R204.5 million, and the full scope of the audit remains unknown.
The players
Moriel Infrastructure Group
A construction company whose contracts with SANRAL were questioned after it was removed from the CIDB national register.
South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL)
The state agency responsible for the national road network that awarded the contracts to Moriel and is now preparing termination proceedings.
Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB)
The statutory body that maintains the national register of construction contractors and removed Moriel following an eligibility investigation.
The details
SANRAL terminated the N1 resurfacing contract between Nelspoort and Three Sisters in the Northern Cape in September 2025. The N2 training and construction management contract between Mount Frere and Ntabankulu remains active, and SANRAL intends to begin termination proceedings following the CIDB findings.
Timeline
28 April 2026: Moriel received a formal notice to correct shortcomings.
September 2025: SANRAL terminated the N1 resurfacing contract.
October 2025: The Western Cape road markings project was completed.
27 October 2026: Minister Dean Macpherson announced the removal of 13 construction companies.
Market Landscape
The removal of 13 companies from the CIDB register follows findings of misrepresentation in applications for higher contractor grades, testing how the register governs eligibility for state work. It positions the case within ongoing scrutiny of how South Africa's public road-building contracts are awarded and policed.
Motorists using the N1 and N2 corridors may see delays while contracts are reassigned or terminated. Public funds committed to these projects remain subject to the outcome of the audit and the termination proceedings.
The takeaway
Scrutiny of contractor registration matters for public road spending, because a firm's eligibility can change after contracts are already underway. Readers following infrastructure projects should watch whether the audit leads to changes in how state contracts are vetted.
Further reading
Explore more on Construction to see how public road contracts are awarded and regulated in South Africa.
Source note: This article includes information reported by IOL.
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