By Rachel Mohamed
Former Transnet executives Brian Molefe, Siyabonga Gama, Anoj Singh, and Thamsanqa Jiyane have been arrested and granted bail of R50,000 by the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. The case has been postponed to October 6th.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Investigative Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) has stated that these arrests are related to Transnet’s acquisition of 1,064 defective locomotives in 2014, which cost R93 million.
Speaking on VOC’s airwaves, Selelo Donald Selamolela, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport, expressed his satisfaction that this case has finally reached the courts, stating that “The wheels of justice have turned.”
Selamolela emphasised that the 1,064 contract has caused significant problems for South Africans, impacting the rail system and Transnet’s financial books. As a result, there has been a shift toward transporting goods by road rather than by rail.
Earlier this year, Selamolela noted, the committee conducted an oversight visit to Transnet and toured the ports of Richards Bay, Godespoort in Durban, Johannesburg, and the Central line. Following that visit, he urged the authorities, judiciary, and prosecutorial institutions in the country to expedite the resolution of issues related to the 1,064 contract.
He remarked, “To be honest, I know that corruption creates problems, but I don’t think we fully realise the extent of the damage the 1,064 contract has caused, especially to the economy of the Republic of South Africa.”
Listen to the full interview:
VOC News
Photo:@ReliableTFR / X
