JSE-listed construction company Murray & Roberts has appointed Mahlape Sello as nonexecutive chairperson to succeed Roy Andersen, who is retiring in March 2013.

Andersen, who has served as nonexecutive chairperson for the past nine years, last year agreed to extend his term as chairperson by a period of two years in order to oversee the group’s executive leadership transition.

Sello, who is an advocate, was also a nonexecutive director of the company from 2009. She is chairperson of the social and ethics committee, a member of the audit and sustainability committee, the nomination committee and the remuneration and human resources committee for the company.

Meanwhile, nonexecutive directors Dr Sibusiso Sibisi and Dr Namane Magau have also resigned from the board. Sibisi wished to limit his nonexecutive directorships to institutions whose core business was underpinned by science or technology and Magau has indicated that as she had served on the board for the past eight years, she felt a need for a change.

Group secretary Yunus Karodia would also step down from his position effective August 1 to take up a financial leadership role at Murray & Roberts Cementation and would be succeeded by Rentia Joubert.