"There is no search for a new CEO," Motlanthe said in Cape Town.

Speaking in Cape Town at a media briefing on the controversial e-tolling system that the government is seeking to impose on Gauteng highways, he confirmed the resignation had been withdrawn.

Asked if this meant Alli had withdrawn his resignation, he said the SA National Roads Agency Ltd's board had received the resignation, but Alli had proffered it in the belief that he was not contributing towards solving Sanral's problems.

"We received a letter of resignation... [but] indeed the problem did not revolve around him... So there was an understanding he stays put."

The board had still to formally deal with the matter.

Earlier, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele told journalists what Alli had been trying to do with his resignation was say: "If I'm the problem, I want to remove myself."

However, the government felt Alli was not the problem.

"So that [his resignation] is not on... So we need to continue, particularly in this [coming] period, because we need all the experience that we have... we want all hands on deck," Ndebele said.