Brian Molefe and Siyabonga Gama Arrested Over R93 Million Transnet Corruption Scandal

Former SOE bosses face court over Gupta-linked locomotive deal

Two of South Africa’s most controversial former executives are back in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Brian Molefe, once the face of Transnet and later Eskom, and Siyabonga Gama, a long-serving Transnet executive, have been arrested over their alleged roles in a R93.4 million corruption scandal tied to the infamous Gupta state capture network.

Both men handed themselves over to authorities on Monday morning and are expected to appear in court later today, according to Henry Mamothame, spokesperson for the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC).

The charges: A deep dive into the R93 million locomotive contract

The case stems from a dodgy 2015 transaction linked to the procurement of 1,064 locomotives—a deal that ballooned from R38 billion to over R50 billion.

While the original advisory contract was initially awarded to JP Morgan, it was abruptly cancelled and reassigned to Trillian Capital, a Gupta-linked firm, led at the time by Daniel Roy. Just days after Transnet paid Trillian R93.4 million, a staggering R74 million was diverted to Albatime, a company owned by Kuben Moodley, with no clear justification.

That invoice and payment were allegedly signed off by Gama and former CFO Garry Pita.

Who else is implicated?

The corruption web extends well beyond Molefe and Gama. Also facing charges are:

• Anoj Singh (former Transnet CFO)

• Garry Pita (former Transnet CFO)

• Phetolo Ramosebudi (former treasurer)

• Niven Pillay, Litha Nyhonyha (Regiments Capital directors)

• Eric Wood (Regiments shareholder)

• Daniel Roy (Trillian Capital director)

• Kuben Moodley (Albatime)

The charges include fraud, corruption, and money laundering, all tied to the capture and looting of Transnet during the Zuma-era.

The Zondo Commission’s warning comes to pass

The arrests follow strong recommendations by the Zondo Commission, which flagged the R93 million Trillian payment as emblematic of state capture and executive misconduct. The commission had previously urged law enforcement to pursue criminal charges against Molefe, Gama and Singh, citing overwhelming evidence of financial manipulation and abuse of public office.

According to a 2018 forensic report, Molefe also misled Transnet’s board and then-Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba about the project’s ballooning costs and failed to report material risks.

Political backlash and mounting scrutiny

What makes Molefe’s arrest particularly explosive is that he’s now a member of parliament for the MK Party, led by former president Jacob Zuma. Critics are already calling this a stress test for the country’s anti-corruption commitment, especially after a 2024 general election that promised a renewed focus on transparency and accountability.

With the GNU under strain and tensions growing around the ANC’s coalition decisions, this high-profile arrest may fuel further political unrest.

A turning point for justice or another false dawn?

The public will now be watching closely to see if this arrest leads to meaningful convictions or yet another drawn-out legal saga that ends with impunity. The involvement of Gupta-linked firms, combined with the sheer scale of financial damage, makes this one of the most critical corruption cases to test South Africa’s resolve against state capture.

More details are expected to emerge in court today.

{Source: The Citizen}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com