By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has placed the Group Executive: Enterprise Security and Compliance Lt-General Mzwandile Petros, on precautionary suspension pending the outcome of an independent investigation into allegations of operational irregularities.
The company released a statement citing that their decision to place Petros on precautionary suspension is to safeguard the flow of investigations.
ACSA said Petros’ duties will be fulfilled by Mary-Ann Joubert in an interim.
She will handle the day-to-day functions of the security threat risk and vulnerability assessments at all the airports under the company.
Fullview learnt that Petros has been under investigation and the investigation revealed he had approved the purchase of 36 Explosive Trace Detection units from Mafoko Security for a staggering R40 million in July 2022.
Sources within ACSA have revealed that the purchase of 36 ETD units was excessive. According to industry standards, only a fraction of this number was necessary—just 15 units in total for various South African airports.
For instance, O.R. Tambo International required only four, while other airports such as King Shaka International (KSIA) and Cape Town International (CTIA) needed even fewer. Alarmingly, Acsa already had several functional ETD machines in its inventory, rendering the additional purchase unnecessary.
The units purchased were also substandard. Although the machines were priced at R330,000 each, including taxes, Acsa paid a significantly inflated price of R1.1 million per unit.
To make matters worse, these ETD units were not internationally accredited, nor had they been tested for the South African conditions required by SACAA.
ACSA is believed to have overpaid by approximately R25 million for the ETD units, with the cost for the 36 machines initially expected to be no more than R15 million. The contract stipulated penalties for late delivery, but when Mafoko Security missed the deadline, no penalties were enforced.
Before joining the company, he had a distinguished career in the South African Police Service (SAPS), where he served as Provincial Commissioner for both the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces, holding the rank of Lieutenant General.
Petros joined ACSA in a senior capacity, focusing on enhancing security measures amid growing challenges like cyber threats, smuggling, and operational risks at busy hubs such as OR Tambo International Airport.
According to ACSA’s 2023/24 Annual Report, he holds an NQF Level 8 Diploma in Secondary School Teaching and an Advanced Diploma in Public Administration, complementing his practical experience in policing.
ACSA manages critical infrastructure, including OR Tambo, Cape Town International, and King Shaka International airports, which are gateways for tourism, trade, and travel.