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Court reserves judgment in Transnet case delay application

Published

The Johannesburg High Court will give judgment on 26 November on a Section 342A application by the accused, who want the Transnet locomotive corruption case struck off the roll. The case was enrolled in 2022 and has not yet gone to trial.

The accused include former Transnet executives Brian Molefe, Anoj Singh and Siyabonga Gama. They argue that delays and difficulties in accessing evidence have harmed their trial preparation. Prosecutor Santhos Manilall opposed the application.

The State has proposed arrangements for the accused to access the electronic evidence. It also offered R1.6m for software to break the deadlock. The State and defence software experts still disagree, so the court must decide the way forward.

The case concerns a Transnet procurement of 1,064 locomotives worth more than R54 billion. Prosecutors allege that Regiments Capital was irregularly brought into the deal. They say its contract value and scope rose to more than R305 million.

Prosecutors also allege a link to a R93.4 million payment to Trillian Asset Management in 2015. The State charges the accused with fraud, corruption, money laundering and breaches of the Public Finance Management Act.

Key facts

Who
Brian Molefe (former Transnet executive, accused); Anoj Singh (former Transnet executive, accused); Siyabonga Gama (former Transnet executive, accused); Santhos Manilall (prosecutor who opposed the application)
What
The Johannesburg High Court reserved judgment on a Section 342A application by the accused in the Transnet corruption trial, which seeks to have the case struck off the roll over alleged delays. The State has proposed arrangements for the accused to access electronic evidence, but disagreements with defence software experts have left the court to decide the way forward.
When
21 October 2026
Where
Johannesburg
Status
Reported

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