Fired Transnet officials must explain disputed locomotives deal, Zondo inquiry hears
Former Transnet engineer Francis Callard says a February 2014 request by Anoj Singh to speed up delivery of the locomotives did not make sense
Axed controversial Transnet executives Anoj Singh, Brian Molefe and Siyabonga Gama need to explain the almost R60bn spent on acquiring 1,064 locomotives, the state capture inquiry heard on Thursday. Francis Callard, the former Transnet engineer who continued his testimony before the Zondo commission, explained that a number of processes were followed in the acquisition of the 465 diesel and 599 electric locomotives, with the first phase being the selection of bidders, and the second relating to negotiations. Callard said the Transnet negotiations team included Molefe and Gama and reported directly to Singh, the former CFO and Gupta ally. Callard’s business case for the acquisition of the locomotives put the estimated total cost (ETC) at R38.6bn, which later ballooned to R54.5bn. The R38.6bn was inclusive of potential effects from forex hedging, forex escalation and other price escalations and excluded borrowing costs. Callard said the negotiations team reported to Singh on a fai...
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