Molefe among Eskom, Transnet executives facing arrest in January 

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) have revealed to Sunday Times that a number of top former executives involved in Eskom, Transnet and engineering firms assisting the embattled state-owned entities could be arrested as early as January 2020. 

Those implicated in allegations of corruption, money-laundering and racketeering include former Transnet CFO Anoj Singh, former Eskom and Transnet CEO Brian Molefe, and former Transnet CEO Siyabonga Gama. 

In August, Molefe lost his bid to appeal a high court decision which held him personally responsible for paying back R11 million of the R30 million pension he received from Eskom. 

This appeal followed the January 2018 judgment finding that Molefe had used the Eskom pension fund to personally enrich himself.

In November, it was reported that Transnet was to get R180 million back “in the very near future” from Gupta-linked company Regiments Capital, in relation to the controversial ‘1064 locomotives contract’. 

Transnet acting CEO Mohammed Mahomedy conceded that the 2014 contract, involving four major global rail locomotive companies, had been riddled with irregularities and delays. 

When the contract was approved, locomotives were bought from China South and North Rail, General Electric and Bombadier, while Molefe, Gama and Singh were at the helm of the SOE. 

As such, Molefe, Gama and Singh and several other employees were implicated at the State Capture Commission. 

A wave of arrests involving four Eskom managers took place this week. 

Hawks confirmed on December 19 that former Eskom group executive for the Group Capital Division Abram Masango (51), former Eskom senior manager for the Group Capital Division France Hlakudi (48),  Antonio Jose Trindade (64) and Hudson Kgomoeswana (46), appeared in the Johannesburg Regional Court on charges fraud and corruption.

All suspects were granted R300,000 bail each, with the case being remanded to May 25 2020, with more arrests imminent. 

The publication also reported that “bling king” Eric Wood, CEO of Gupta-linked Trillian Capital Partners, has spent millions funding a lavish lifestyle in a short space of time since meeting Salim Essa, a South African businessman also implicated in state capture for his close links to the Guptas.

This after the Sunday Times sifted through hundreds of thousands of emails detailing the Trillian Leaks.

It is reported that Wood is also to be charged with corruption, money-laundering and fraud by the NPA.

“Eskom was being run outside of Eskom,” said Eskom chairperson Jabu Mabuza, upon concluding his two-day testimony at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture in February.

(Compiled by Nica Schreuder. Additional reporting by Daniel Friedman, Brian Sokutu and Moneyweb’s Suren Naidoo)

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