Transnet’s Molefe promises to clean up

TRANSNET chairperson Popo Molefe has promised more executives and senior managers will be suspended at the state-owned entity following the notice of intention to suspend issued to chief executive Siyabonga Gama.

Gama, chief procurement officer Thamsanqa Jiyane and supply chain manager Lindiwe Mdletshe were notified of the intention to suspend them this week. “There will be more who will be suspended, charged and disciplined,” Molefe said.

The former North West premier also warned that officials who have left Transnet will face criminal charges and have civil action instituted against them to recover misappropriated money.

Transnet is working with the Special Investigating Unit and the Hawks and hopes the state capture commission of inquiry headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo will uncover more corruption, he said.

Suspensions

He said the trio’s looming suspensions followed three reports, including one from the National Treasury, which showed that executives and senior managers were involved in ignoring provisions of the Constitution, the Public Finance Management Act, Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act and Transnet’s supply chain management policies.

“This suggests that we cannot place reliance on these people,” he said.

Molefe was speaking following the Transnet board and executives meeting with Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) at the entity’s head offices in downtown Johannesburg.

The committee has called on Transnet’s board to act on any implicated individuals without fear, favour or prejudice.

Scopa chairperson Themba Godi warned that the entity could be heading in the direction of troubled national carrier SAA, which he described as under siege from employees.

He complained that Transnet employees told committee members they were instructed to hide certain tender documents but did not know why.

Molefe later expressed the shocking state in which he found Transnet following the interim board’s appointment by Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan in May. He said there was a breakdown of systems, internal controls and financial management.

Molefe described some of Transnet’s 65 000 employees as operating as members of a syndicate sworn to secrecy.