DA to lay criminal charges against Transnet CEO for billions wasted on train deal

11 June 2018

The DA will lay criminal charges against Transnet CEO, Siyabonga Gama, former CEO Brian Molefe and former Freight Rail Chief Procurement Officer, Thamsanqa Jiyane, following revelations in a report by law firm, Werksmans Attorneys, that they may have breached the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) on the billion rand ‘Traingate’.

The DA further calls on the Transnet Board to suspend Gama with immediate effect pending an investigation into the circumstances that saw the train deal inflated from R38.6 billion to R54.5billion.

The report states that the procurement process for the locomotive deal “identifies serious breaches of statutes, regulations, corporate governance and unlawful conduct in relation to the transaction - involving billions of rand”.

This case must be investigated without fear or favour so that those found guilty of wrongdoing can be held to account.

Transnet has been in a mess for far too long. It is vital that it is restored so it can deliver on its mandate to run the country’s freight system effectively and that it contributes to economic growth by delivering goods, not compromising it.

Corruption has become the norm under the ANC, no matter who leads the organisation and must be stamped out as it steals from South Africans, especially the poor.

This will only happen when the ANC is voted out and the people vote for change so that the DA can extend its good delivery record to the rest of South Africa.

Issued by Natasha Mazzone, DA Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises, 11 June 2018