Former Eskom and Transnet bosses arrested
Former Eskom and Transnet executives Brian Molefe and Anoj Singh were among several former high-profile Transnet employees arrested on Monday morning for their alleged role in a corrupt train tender, News24 reports.
According to a statement from the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigative Directorate, the suspects were set to appear in the Palm Ridge Specialised Crimes Court later on Monday.
They are facing corruption charges concerning a R30-billion contract to procure 1,064 new locomotives for the rail agency.
It is alleged that Transnet executives siphoned millions from the transaction to various Gupta-linked companies in 2015.
That included R93.4 million to Trillian, R189 million to Regiments, and R74 million to Albatime.
For the first two entities, the payments were supposedly for the same advisory services, while the payment to Albatime was ostensibly for “no apparent reason”.
In mid-July, former Transnet CEO Siyabonga Gama and four other suspects appeared in the Palm Ridge court to face charges in the same matter, but the case was postponed due to load-shedding.
The National Prosecuting Authority said the postponement would allow them to conduct further investigations and add more suspects to the charge sheet.
Molefe served as Transnet’s chief executive officer from 2010 to 2015, while Singh was chief financial officer of the agency between 2009 and 2015.
The Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture heard evidence on the matter and found “reasonable grounds” to believe the pair were among those who were paid cash bribes by the Gupta enterprise for their roles in facilitating state capture at Transnet.
Molefe, during his testimony at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture
Zondo also found that Molefe and Singh advanced the Gupta family’s interests during their tenures at Eskom.
Molefe served as CEO from 2015 to 2016, while Singh served as CFO between 2015 and 2018.
Zondo also recommended that Singh be criminally charged alongside another former Eskom CEO, Mathsela Koko, for his role in pressuring Glencore into selling its coal interests to the Guptas.
According to the findings of the inquiry, Singh and Koko had “by false pretences” led Eskom to process payments of R659 million and R1.68 billion, which was later converted to a guarantee, as pre-payments for coal. They are yet to face any criminal charges regarding these findings.
Molefe was recently dealt another legal blow over a pension fund payment that he was incorrectly paid in 2018 after leaving the utility.
In early July, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ordered Molefe to pay back R9.98 million to the utility’s pension and provident fund, with interest calculated from October 2019.
The payment was among several benefits found to be unlawful because Molefe’s short stint at the utility meant he was not entitled to a pension.
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