The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) welcomes the arrest of four former Transnet executives.
The individuals voluntarily surrendered to the police yesterday and subsequently appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on charges of fraud, corruption, and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act and the Companies Act.
One of the accused, Brian Molefe, former Chief Executive Officer of Transnet and currently an MK Party Member of Parliament, is linked to alleged corrupt tenders related to the procurement of locomotives around 2014.
The Chinese company CSR was appointed to supply 95 locomotives at R3,2 billion, but the cost ultimately exceeded R3,4 billion. In two further contracts, 100 locomotives were purchased for R3,8 billion (with costs climbing to over R4,8 billion) and 1 064 locomotives for R38,1 billion (ultimately costing R54 billion).
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) is pleased that the evidence presented before the Zondo Commission on State Capture is finally bearing fruit.
Corruption landed Transnet in its current financial distress. The time has come to show zero tolerance for corrupt individuals who have looted, and continue to loot, state entities of their funds.
It is, after all, loyal taxpayers who are robbed and defrauded through these actions, and those responsible must face the consequences.
The message to corrupt officials should be loud and clear: Stealing state funds will land one in prison. It is high time corrupt individuals are held accountable for their unlawful actions.
In 2017, the Freedom Front Plus objected to Molefe’s appointment as an MP due to his alleged ties to the Guptas; he resigned as MP by May 2017. The party maintains its stance and Molefe should be removed as an MK Party MP.
Transnet recently received another bailout of R51 billion from government, on top of an allocation of R105 billion from the Department of Transport for the 2025/26 financial year.
This narrowly prevented a downgrade by Moody’s, as Transnet did not have enough capital to finance its operations at the time.
The Freedom Front Plus believes this bailout will not resolve Transnet’s problems and that the entity will run out of operational funds again soon. In 2023, Transnet received a R47 billion bailout, which has already been depleted.
Transnet would not have declined if the accused individuals, including Molefe, Anoj Singh, Siyabonga Gama and Thamsanqa Jiyane, had not sought to enrich themselves.
There is no more room for corrupt individuals in South Africa. Those guilty of corruption should be called to account and be duly prosecuted.
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