Transnet finally fires CEO Gama

Siyabonga Gama has been fired as group chief executive officer (GCEO) of Transnet, the stateowned freight and rail company confirmed yesterday.

Transnet board member Edward Kieswetter confirmed Gama’s dismissal on eNCA’s The Fix.

“I can confirm that a letter was hand-delivered to Gama to inform him of the board’s intention to continue with the termination... [of Gama as a] member of the board,” Kieswetter said.

On September 27, Gama was given 10 days to submit written representations as to why he should not be fired, but Gama approached the Labour Court in Johannesburg to interdict the intention to dismiss him.

The reasons supplied to Gama were alleged serious violations of his financial, procurement and fiduciary duties.

“The board of Transnet has today [September 27] served Mr Siyabonga Gama with a letter informing him of the board’s intention to terminate his employment as group chief executive officer of Transnet SoC Ltd,” Transnet board chairperson Popo Molefe said at the time. “As a result, the board has lost trust and confidence in Mr Gama’s ability to lead Transnet as GCEO.”

Two law firms, Werksmans and MNS, have implicated Gama in alleged breaches of procurement rules on a R54 billion contract to buy 1 064 new locomotives. – ANA