In March 2014 Bombardier was awarded a R13bn contract to supply Transnet with 240 electric locomotives. The contract formed part of a R54bn Transnet tender, split between four bidders, for a total of 1,064 diesel and electric locomotives. Export Development Canada (EDC), the government agency that finances export deals for Canadian companies, provided US$450m towards Transnet’s contract with Bombardier. EDC also provided 80% of the funding for Bombardier’s sale of a private jet to the politically connected Gupta family, though the company has stressed the two deals were not connected.

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