South Africa’s Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has directed the board of the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) to investigate one of its service providers after a video circulated online showing the company’s director verbally threatening three women. The incident, involving Zimbabwean businessman Lawrence Chamurwa Mudzinganyama, occurred at a restaurant in Johannesburg and has prompted responses from political organizations and the public.
The video, which was widely shared on social media platforms, shows a man identified as Mudzinganyama in a heated exchange with three women. In the footage, the man is heard making threats toward the women, including references to using “bullets.” Media reports state the altercation followed the women’s rejection of his advances.
Mudzinganyama is a director of Tarcon Africa, a civil engineering company that holds contracts with Sanral. In a statement, the Ministry of Transport confirmed the directive for an investigation.
“The minister has instructed the Board of Sanral to investigate the allegations and the company that is said to be a service provider of the agency,” the ministry stated. Minister Chikunga described the contents of the video as “disturbing, to say the least,” and affirmed that the government “cannot stand by and watch such atrocious acts of violence against women.”
Sanral acknowledged the minister’s directive and confirmed it would proceed with an internal investigation. Vusi Mona, Sanral’s general manager for communications, told media outlets that the agency’s board would handle the matter. Sanral’s code of conduct for its partners and service providers will form the basis of the investigation.
Several political parties have commented on the incident. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) issued a statement calling for the immediate termination of all contracts between Sanral and Tarcon Africa. The party characterized the behavior in the video as unacceptable and stated that individuals who threaten women should not benefit from state contracts.
ActionSA’s Gauteng chairperson, Funzi Ngobeni, also condemned the actions depicted in the video and called for both a criminal investigation and the cancellation of the Sanral contracts.
Following the circulation of the video and the subsequent public reaction, reports from multiple South African news outlets confirmed that Mudzinganyama issued a public apology. In the statement, he reportedly expressed remorse for his actions and attributed his behavior to intoxication.
The investigation by Sanral is currently underway. The agency has not yet released its findings or announced any decisions regarding its contractual relationship with Tarcon Africa.
