Transport
Transnet denies safety problems
Transnet maintained strict safety levels and dealt with staff who did not uphold them, an official said yesterday. “Any transgressions we deal with according to our policies. There are disciplinary procedures we embark on. We are serious with safety,” spokesman Sandile Simelane said. “We are a safety organisation. We need to abide by safety standards.” He was responding to a report in Rapport newspaper that claimed hundreds of millions of rand were spent annually on train accidents, due to drivers speeding, ignoring warning signs and not being able to perform core functions such as varying the line. The charges were based on Transnet documents, accident reports and conversations with anonymous current and former staff. The newspaper reported that train derailments and train crashes cost the taxpayer just over R200 million in 2011/12 and R328m in 2012/13. It also reported that Transnet had discovered a scam in 2010 where drivers, control officers and other operational staff at railway school were found with memorandums to their examination papers. – Sapa
Mining
Managers in gold arrests
A mine manager at the Blyvooruitzicht mine has been arrested after he was allegedly found in possession of 1.3kg of gold at his home near Carletonville, the Sunday Times reported yesterday. Hawks spokesman Captain Paul Ramaloko told the newspaper the man was arrested on Friday and would face charges of theft, illegal possession of gold nuggets, fraud and defeating the ends of justice. Along with the gold – believed to be 80 percent pure and worth about R500 000 – his laptop, cellphones and documents were seized. The manager of the smelter was also arrested. They were due to appear in court today. The mine was under investigation for a break-in in January after 380kg of gold-bearing material was stolen. The ore was found on a farm 80km away, with gold processing and sorting equipment, a handgun and R40 000 cash. The newspaper reported that the mine went into liquidation last year but that the liquidator had accepted a R70 million bid by Goldrich, run by directors from the failed Aurora mining company. – Sapa