The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has dismissed serious allegations of corruption, collusion, and governance failure, describing the reports as unfounded and misleading.
The state entity issued a public statement on Tuesday, 28 October 2025, in response to a Sunday Times report citing whistleblower claims of financial mismanagement and procurement irregularities.
According to Sunday Times, the accusations include deliberate stalling of tenders, interference in procurement processes, and the dismantling of oversight mechanisms within the organisation.
Employees who spoke anonymously alleged that CEO Ishaam Abader held excessive decision-making power and interfered in the procurement of a new High-Performance Computing (HPC) system — equipment critical for weather forecasting and climate monitoring.
The report also claimed that the prolonged delays in replacing the ageing HPC system, now over a decade old, placed the country’s meteorological data infrastructure at risk.
In its media statement, SAWS said the allegations were “vague, unsubstantiated and not borne out by the performance of the entity.”
It added that many of the claims stemmed from a labour dispute between management and a union operating within the organisation, as well as a recent Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) decision denying the union’s request to picket.
“The SAWS has noted with disappointment a series of news reports carrying claims that falsely suggest that the entity’s Executive Management is engaged in improper conduct and that its Board is failing to conduct proper oversight,” the statement read.
“These allegations come at a time when the entity is engaged in a wage dispute and are therefore viewed as attempts to discredit the organisation.”
The organisation explained that the HPC procurement process began before the tenure of the current CEO and Board, and has been restarted several times to ensure full compliance with public procurement regulations.
Each delay, SAWS said, resulted from internal reviews that identified compliance issues. The most recent round of procurement is now at an “advanced stage” and will undergo a “double-blind” probity review before any final decision is made.
“The delay in concluding the acquisition of the new system is the direct result of efforts on the part of the entity’s Executive Management to ensure a procurement process consistent with the country’s public procurement laws,” the statement said.
The weather service also addressed additional claims, including those about a radar-parts tender allegedly awarded without competitive bidding.
SAWS clarified that the procurement involved a single-source deviation approved by the National Treasury and the Auditor-General because the parts must be sourced directly from the original manufacturer.
On governance issues, the Board emphasised that it had amended its internal authority framework to prevent interference in operational decisions.
It added that quarterly reports on all tenders exceeding R10 million were routinely presented to the Audit and Risk Committee for oversight.
SAWS further denied allegations that a senior executive had been “forced out” to benefit the CEO, clarifying that the official had retired and that the CEO temporarily shared oversight duties with other executives.
It also confirmed that the post of an ICT security specialist, left vacant for 14 months, had since been filled and that the new appointee would assume duties on 9 November 2025.
The entity said it maintains a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and corruption and has dismissed employees found guilty of misconduct.
“If there are any whistleblowing matters reported, they are investigated, and consequence management follows,” the statement said.
“The Board would also immediately report any allegations involving the CEO to the Minister for investigation.”
SAWS concluded by noting that it had achieved three consecutive unqualified audit opinions — two of which were clean — and reiterated that it would cooperate with any independent investigation launched by the government.
