Civil rights organisation AfriForum has submitted a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application to Transnet, seeking transparency regarding the parastatal’s “controversial” contracts and business dealings.
AfriForum said it had submitted the application because Transnet, like many state-owned enterprises, had been “at the centre of state capture and gross mismanagement”, which has had a tremendous impact on the South African economy. The organisation said the information it was seeking was “in the public interest” and had a patent bearing on the robustness and functioning of Transnet, reflecting the functioning of the economy, in which all citizens have a stake.
The information/records that AfriForum is seeking include:
- All active contracts that Transnet or any one of its subsidiaries has concluded with any logistics and/or freight company.
- All active contracts that Transnet or any of its subsidiaries has concluded with any private security company.
- Information covering the past three years showing how many criminal complaints Transnet has laid with the police for crimes committed against Transnet and its property.
- Data reflecting the number of hours Transnet ports have been closed and/or shut down and not functioning for any reason.
- A list of all train locomotives that Transnet owns.
- A list of all train coaches that Transnet owns.
- A list of all train wagons that Transnet owns.
- A list of all motor vehicles that Transnet owns.
- Data showing what percentage of Transnet’s rail lines are closed and not in use.
- Details regarding how Transnet defines a “closed line” as referred to in the Transnet Freight Rail 2021 report.
AfriForum spokesperson, Ernst van Zyl, said access to this information was crucial for the economy.
“The crucial importance of Transnet’s business dealings and operations to the South African economy, in conjunction with the recently demonstrated extremely egregious corruption which has led to its downfall, drives AfriForum’s demands for transparency,” Van Zyl said.
“Corrupt dealings and illicitly awarded contracts of service are key reasons for Transnet’s failure. Transnet was the primary site of state capture, accounting for 72.2% of all government and State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) contracts linked to State Capture.”
He said instances of vandalism and sabotage, as well as alleged mismanagement, incompetence and a lack of accountability and transparency, should be added to the state capture revelations.
“AfriForum is doing our part in tackling this crisis and getting answers,” said Van Zyl.
