South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) CEO Nazir Ali has dismissed claims by former Murray & Roberts CEO Brian Bruce that the agency approached only six companies to tender for road contracts during the 2010 World Cup.

The construction industry has come under close scrutiny from government, competition authorities and civil society as its 30-year secret history of collusion tumbled out of the closet in recent months.

Competition authorities fined groups including Murray & Roberts, WBHO, Group Five and Aveng a combined R1,46billion for colluding on more than 300 projects worth R61billion, including the World Cup and Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project.

Ali claims 13 consortiums submitted applications for prequalification. Six made the cut, and then had to tender for all the work packages.

Ali also stated that“many South African businesseshave a very low sense of morality and ethics and the relationship between business and government continues to be toxic.”