The United National Transport Union (UNTU) demands that Siyabonga Gama, Chief Executive Officer of Transnet, identify the so-called individuals who have allegedly defrauded the state-owned enterprise with millions so that the South African public can follow their prosecution.

“UNTU doubts Gama’s confirmation that criminal action has been taken against those defrauding the company. We want to see who it is?. They must be named and shamed pending the outcome of the court cases. Transnet must send out a strong message that individuals who dare to take bread of the tables of UNTU members, will face severe consequences,” says Steve Harris, General Secretary of UNTU.

According to Harris the membership of UNTU, is the majority Union in Transnet representing 49% of its employees, is fed-up with all the state-owned enterprises who continue to waste tax payer’s money but hide behind excuses about irregular contract and individuals defrauding them.

“We never see the money being returned. Where is the involvement of the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)? Why is it always necessary to waste more millions to appoint private companies to do the forensic audits to discover and prove the theft or fraud? Where is the expertise and proper management that Transnet and other SOE are supposed to have in place to pick there flaws in the system up earlier?

“This is getting a handy excuse while we should rather call it what it is: total incompetent management,” says Harris.

Yesterday Transnet tried to convince Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts that the Transport leader in Africa’s actual irregular expenditure is far less than R20.6 million because the remainder was a technical issue that had to be ironed out with South African Revenue over the taxation of foreign companies.

“There should not have been any irregular expenditure. Parliament should not allow any excuses by SOE’s but rather show true leadership by taking drastic steps against the Ministers who overseas them for performing,” says Harris.

Lynne Brown, Minister of Public Enterprises, are responsible for Transnet.

UNTU has repeatedly demanded in the past few months that President Jacob Zuma fire Transport Minister Dipuo Peters for her lack of leadership to prevent the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), who has a deficit of R2,3 billion, from collapsing.

Issued by UNTU