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Johannesburg - Transnet's management intrigues intensified on Friday when two senior Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) employees were suspended for irregularities in the awarding of a tender for security services.
The two were suspended pending a disciplinary hearing into alleged tender misconduct - the same irregularities for which Siyabonga Gama, the former chief executive of TFR - was suspended in September.
A statement declares that the two employees have been charged with serious misconduct, including deliberate or gross negligence and manipulation of the tender process with regard to the wrongful awarding of a security services contract at TFR.
Transnet spokesperson John Dludlu declined to name the suspended employees. He replied to enquiry saying that it was Transnet's policy not to identify the employees.
He confirmed that the suspension was related to the tender for which Gama has been suspended. The former chief executive departed in a cloud associated with the awarding of a tender for 212 locomotives worth about R6.5bn to a consortium of companies known as Electro-Motive Sibanye.
In accordance with the company's disciplinary procedures the two employees were given a fair opportunity to say why they should not be suspended. They had not availed themselves of the opportunity and were therefore suspended, reads the statement.
Suspension is regarded as the appropriate action because of the seniority of the employees and the severity of the allegations raised.
The contract for which the two have been suspended was awarded in a closed tender process, which is one to which no other qualifying bidders are invited.
The statement goes on to say that the closed nature of the security services tender breached the required control processes. The closed process had been approved by Gama and, according to Dludlu, he had not been empowered to do so.
Dludlu confirmed that the investigation into Gama was still under way.
How long it would take was unknown, he said, but dates had been agreed upon between Gama and Transnet's respective attorneys.
- Sake24.com
For more business news in Afrikaans, go to Sake24.com.