The removal of Moriel Infrastructure Group chairman Lawrence Mudzinganyama after a viral Sandton restaurant incident has been followed by separate government probes into the company’s state contracts and CIDB gradings.
From Sandton Threats to State Contracts: Moriel Faces Scrutiny on Two Fronts
JOHANNESBURG – Moriel Infrastructure Group has terminated its relationship with Executive Chairman Lawrence Chamurwa Mudzinganyama, as two Cabinet ministers ordered separate investigations into the company’s government contracts and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) gradings.
The developments follow the circulation of a video showing Mudzinganyama confronting and threatening women at Vlamo restaurant at Sandton Gate on Friday.
Mudzinganyama has been charged with intimidation and is expected to appear in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on 1 October, according to Inside Politics. He remains presumed innocent unless and until convicted.
The criminal case has now widened into questions about Moriel’s relationship with the state, including whether the company was properly appointed for work by the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) and whether it met the requirements for its CIDB gradings.
What happened at Vlamo
The incident took place on Friday, 18 September, at Vlamo restaurant at Sandton Gate.
Video footage that circulated widely on social media appears to show Mudzinganyama confronting a group of women inside the restaurant’s ladies’ bathroom after an interaction in which the women reportedly rejected his advances.
In the footage, he can be heard making threats, including saying he could “put a bullet” in them and that he would “murder you now and walk”.
Vlamo said Mudzinganyama was not affiliated with, employed by or associated with the restaurant, despite claims made during the confrontation.
The restaurant said management removed him after becoming aware of the incident and that the affected women and the restaurant formally reported the matter to the South African Police Service on Saturday. Vlamo said it would provide footage and other relevant information to investigators.
The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster identified Mudzinganyama as a Zimbabwean national and called on the women involved to open criminal cases.
Police Minister Firoz Cachalia also asked the Department of Home Affairs to examine Mudzinganyama’s immigration status. The authorities have said the criminal investigation could also allow the Designated Firearms Officer to consider a Section 102 process under the Firearms Control Act.
There has been no public finding that Mudzinganyama possessed a firearm during the incident.
Mudzinganyama apologises
Mudzinganyama issued an apology on Sunday in his personal capacity.
He described his behaviour as involving “aggressive and threatening language” that was “unacceptable and unjustifiable, regardless of the circumstances that led to the disagreement”.
He said he should have removed himself from the situation and sought assistance from restaurant management.
“I did not, and I accept responsibility for my words and conduct,” he said.
Mudzinganyama also said he would cooperate with law enforcement and was seeking professional guidance and a conflict-management programme.
“I recognise that an apology cannot erase the fear and distress caused,” he said.
The apology did not address the specific threats heard in the circulating footage or the intimidation charge.
Moriel terminates his role
Moriel’s board subsequently announced that it had resolved to terminate its association with Mudzinganyama “both as Executive Chairman and as a Director, with immediate effect”.
The company said he would no longer represent or act for Moriel in any capacity.
“The conduct shown in the footage is inconsistent with the organisation’s values,” the board said, adding that it “unequivocally condemns violence against women”.
Moriel said it remained committed to a safe and respectful environment for its employees and stakeholders.
The company did not comment further on the matter.
SANRAL contract comes under scrutiny
The first government investigation was ordered by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, who directed the SANRAL board to establish whether Moriel was lawfully appointed as a contractor and whether it was fulfilling its contractual obligations.
SANRAL confirmed that it would comply with the directive.
SANRAL’s tender records, according to TimesLIVE, show that Moriel received a contract worth about R107.5 million in October 2024 and another worth approximately R71.6 million in January 2025.
The investigation is not a finding of wrongdoing. It is intended to establish whether the company’s appointment and performance complied with the relevant requirements.
CIDB gradings also under investigation
A second investigation was ordered by Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson.
Macpherson directed the CIDB to investigate allegations that Moriel obtained several contractor gradings on the same day and whether the company met the requirements for those gradings.
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The department said there were allegations that the gradings may subsequently have been used to secure government contracts at various levels.
Macpherson instructed the CIDB to investigate the circumstances surrounding the gradings and report back to him as soon as possible.
No finding has been made that Moriel improperly obtained its gradings.
Why CIDB grading matters
CIDB grading determines the level of public-sector construction work for which a contractor can tender.
The system grades contractors from 1 to 9 according to their financial capability and track record in particular construction classes. A contractor’s grading therefore affects the value of government work for which it can compete.
That makes the allegations surrounding Moriel’s gradings significant because the investigation will have to establish whether the company met the requirements applicable to the grades it received.
Moriel describes itself as an engineering, procurement and construction group operating in infrastructure and related sectors.
Its road-surfacing division, Moriel Tarmac Solutions, stated on its website in 2021 that it held CIDB registrations at grades 6 and 7 across several classes of work.
The African Chronicle has not independently established the company’s current CIDB grading status.
The wider questions
The government investigations have shifted the focus from Mudzinganyama’s alleged conduct at the restaurant to the processes through which Moriel secured public work.
The SANRAL inquiry will examine the company’s appointment and compliance with its contractual obligations, while the CIDB investigation will examine the basis for its contractor gradings.
The two processes are separate from the criminal case involving Mudzinganyama.
That distinction is important. The allegations arising from the restaurant incident do not, by themselves, establish that Moriel breached procurement or construction-industry rules. Those questions are now the subject of formal government investigations.
National debate over violence against women
The incident also comes amid renewed public concern about violence against women in South Africa.
Police have been investigating the deaths of nine women whose bodies were found in Ekurhuleni over two months. Investigators have not established that the cases are linked, and there is no suggestion that Mudzinganyama is connected to them.
The Sandton case has nevertheless drawn attention because the threats were directed at women and were captured on video.
The nationality of the man involved has also featured prominently in online discussion.
A separate Zimbabwean chef living in Norway was incorrectly identified online as the man in the video after social-media users found his LinkedIn profile. He subsequently denied any connection to the incident.
The criminal case concerns the conduct captured in the video, while the government investigations concern Moriel’s dealings with state institutions.
What happens next
Several processes are now unfolding:
- 1 October: Mudzinganyama is expected to appear in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on the intimidation charge.
- SANRAL investigation: The agency’s board will establish whether Moriel was lawfully appointed and whether it is meeting its contractual obligations.
- CIDB investigation: The board will examine the circumstances surrounding Moriel’s contractor gradings and whether the company met the applicable requirements.
- Home Affairs review: The department has been asked to examine Mudzinganyama’s immigration status.
- Other state contracts: Any additional government work involving Moriel could come under scrutiny depending on the findings of the investigations.
For now, the key questions are no longer limited to what happened at a Sandton restaurant. They extend to whether the systems governing access to public infrastructure were properly followed.
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