Transnet boss met Gupta man in Dubai on eve of appointment
The leaked Gupta e-mails have revealed a booking confirmation e-mailed to Gupta-owned Sahara Systems chief executive Ashu Chawla under Gama's name
Two months before being permanently appointed as Transnet Group CEO, Siyabonga Gama enjoyed a two-night stay at the five-star Oberoi hotel in Dubai, apparently courtesy of the Gupta family. Gama has confirmed meeting key Gupta lieutenant Salim Essa during the stay but denies the Guptas paid for him. The leaked Gupta e-mails have revealed a booking confirmation e-mailed to Gupta-owned Sahara Systems chief executive Ashu Chawla under Gama's name. Chawla then forwarded the e-mail to long-time Gupta family associate Essa, who until recently was the 60% majority owner of Trillian Capital Partners, a financial consulting firm that netted millions in contracts with state-owned entities Transnet and Eskom. Trillian was formed when CEO Eric Wood broke away from his partners at Regiments Capital, a company that already had established business links with state-owned companies. Wood last month bought Essa's shares in Trillian. But when confronted with the allegations that the Guptas or their a...
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