Transnet boss refutes claims of Gupta links
Hotel bills show Gama, Eskom and Denel bosses in Dubai
Two months before being permanently appointed as Transnet Group CEO‚ Siyabonga Gama enjoyed a two-night stay at the five-star Oberoi Hotel in Dubai‚ apparently courtesy of the Gupta family.
Gama has confirmed meeting key Gupta lieutenant Salim Essa during the stay but denied that the Guptas paid for him.
The leaked Gupta e-mails have revealed a booking confirmation e-mailed to Guptaowned Sahara Systems chief executive Ashu Chawla under Gama’s name.
Chawla then forwarded the e-mail to long-time Gupta family associate Essa‚ who until recently was the 60% majority owner of Trillian Capital Partners – a financial consulting firm which netted millions in contracts with state-owned entities Transnet and Eskom.
Trillian was formed when CEO Eric Wood broke away from his partners at Regiments Capital‚ a company which already had established business links with stateowned companies.
Wood last month bought Essa’s shares in Trillian.
But, when confronted with the allegations that the Guptas or their associate had picked up his tab‚ Gama insisted he had paid his own way.
Gama also provided an invoice‚ which he claimed to be from the Oberoi and which is stamped “Paid”. The invoice does not show the hotel’s name‚ does not say who settled the bill and was printed in June 2017‚ a year-and-a-half after he stayed at the hotel.
The leaked e-mails reveal‚ however‚ that a month after Gama’s stay‚ in February 2016‚ the Oberoi e-mailed Chawla a statement for Sahara Computer’s outstanding account.
On the account‚ Gama’s bill is listed as unpaid‚ including that of Denel board chairman Dan Mantsha and suspended Eskom executive Matshela Koko.
The amount is the same as on the invoice Gama provided.
“I can confirm that Salim Essa of Trillian was a contractor of Transnet‚” Gama said. “When I was in Davos‚ I received a request for a meeting from Essa. Since I travelled on Emirates Airlines‚ he suggested he meet me in Dubai during the stopover since he was in Dubai at the time.
“I agreed and he suggested that he will reserve a hotel room‚ which I paid for‚” he said‚ adding that the Trillian and Regiments contracts were later cancelled by Transnet.
Gama denied having ever met with Ajay Gupta, saying he only met Essa in Dubai and later confirmed he had met Essa on previous occasions at the Transnet offices.
“It is a fact that I am not appointed as group CEO for Transnet because of any Gupta association.
“I am in my current position on merit alone after serving in an acting position for over a year.
Transnet has come under intense scrutiny over a number of multimillion-rand deals with companies believed to be linked to the Gupta family.