Johannesburg – The Board of Trustees of the Independent Development Trust (IDT) has placed its Chief Executive Officer, Tebogo Malaka, on precautionary suspension with immediate effect.
In a terse statement on Friday, 1 August 2025, the IDT Board said: “This decision follows the Board’s receipt and consideration of a final forensic report relating to the IDT’s involvement in the PSA Oxygen Plant project”.
The statement added: “The precautionary suspension is aligned with internal policies and the Labour Relations Act and was instituted to allow for an independent and unhindered investigation into serious matters raised”.
The action comes days after Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson released a damning report on dodgy tenders at the IDT.
A forensic investigation report into an R800 million tender awarded by the IDT, which falls under the national Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, has recommended disciplinary action against the entity’s top management.
Macpherson outlined recommendations from the PwC forensic report, which proposed that appropriate action be taken “against the relevant officials who were involved in the PSA oxygen plant project, as far as they have not addressed the issues that were raised by the NDoH [National Department of Health] adequately during the procurement process”.
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However, the statement on Friday explained: “The Board emphasises that this is not a disciplinary sanction. Ms. Malaka remains an employee of the organisation and has not been found guilty of any misconduct.
“To ensure continuity and organisational stability, the Board requested the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, the Honorable Mr. Dean Macpherson to second a senior official to serve as Acting CEO.
“The Minister has since seconded Ms. CJ Abrahams to this role with immediate effect.”
The Board expressed its appreciation to the Minister for his “continued support” and reaffirmed its commitment to clean governance, institutional integrity and transparent consequence management.
