The Labour Court has permitted the City of Tshwane to pursue new disciplinary hearings against five officials implicated in the controversial Rooiwal tender scandal.

The court dismissed the officials’ attempt to block these proceedings, clearing the way for fresh charges related to their alleged involvement in a R291m tender awarded to Blackhead Joint Venture in 2019.

The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) found that the tender lacked essential technical specifications and that required documents were submitted two years after the award, despite being non-responsive.The SIU also uncovered material omissions by Blackhead regarding their qualifications, yet they received high scores in the evaluation.

The court emphasized that the new evidence suggests deliberate misconduct rather than mere negligence, with charges focusing on failing to disqualify Blackhead and violating internal policies.This follows a 2023 disciplinary sanction that was later reviewed, leading to a retrial.The city welcomed the ruling as validation of its pursuit for accountability.