Transnet and Jakavula reach out of court agreement

JOY ORLEK
MORE THAN two years since his removal from the post of chief executive of Spoornet over the alleged inappropriate purchase of a holiday home in Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape, Zandile Jakavula and Transnet have reached an out-of-court settlement.
A confidentiality clause prohibits either party from revealing details, although Jakavula is reported to be happy with the outcome.
Transnet alleged that Jakavula had acted inappropriately when he purchased a Spoornet-owned house in early 2002. He bought the property for
R83 000, which was considered to be well below market value, and commissioned Spoornet employees to renovate it at a cost of R363 000.
The Transnet board found him guilty of Ôserious misjudgement’ in agreeing to allow Spoornet employees to handle the renovations at the company’s cost and deferring payment until the work had been completed.
He had also made the purchase without following accepted company procedures.
Transnet dismissed Jakavula after his failure to accept a demotion to the post of human resources manager.