Nearly R200m was spent on Prasa probe - Montana

Former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana says Prasa has spent R200 million on surveillance to rescue “captured” railway agency. Picture: Alexander Joe/AFP

Former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana says Prasa has spent R200 million on surveillance to rescue “captured” railway agency. Picture: Alexander Joe/AFP

Published Jan 30, 2018

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Johannesburg - Former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana says Prasa has spent R200 million under former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe on surveillance to rescue “captured” railway agency. 

Montana dropped bombshells before Eskom parliamentary inquiry where he detailed his involvement with the controversial Gupta family and their attempt to influence tender awarding processes within the railway agency. 

He told the committee that after meeting with the chairperson of the portfolio committee on transport, Molefe undertook a forensic investigation as he claimed Montana was not working alone but “was doing dirty work for the Gupta family and the big fish itself, the President JG Zuma, whom he apparently described in derogatory terms.”

Montana said: “This resulted in Popo Molefe embarking on one of the biggest investigations against individuals costing almost R200 million. They did not know that I had fought the Guptas in 2012, and supported by S’fiso Buthelezi and the Board, stood firm against Gupta attempts to manipulate the procurement process for the acquisition of new trains.” 

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He told the committee that the Gupta family through deputy minister of public enterprises, Ben Martins tried to influence the awarding of tenders within the railway agency. 

Montana told the committee that Molefe irregularly appointed Werksman Attorneys to conduct a forensic investigation into numerous contracts. 

He said the contract to conduct the investigation was originally meant for Ngubane and Associates, who were expected to sub-contract part of the work to Werksman Attorneys. 

However, this changed with Werksman Attorneys emerging as the main contractor and Ngubane and Associates the sub-contractor. 

Employees at Ngubane and Associates had complained that they were only given minor administrative roles in the entire investigation and did not receive the bulk of the money. 

“Werksmans Attorneys ran surveillance on certain individuals and companies in violation of various laws of the Republic. The surveillance was mainly conducted through the following companies: Basileus Concilium Professional Services (BCPS) and Crowe Howarth Forensics (Crowe),” said Montana.

Montana detailed to the committee how these companies subjected him and his family to “vicious campaign of illegal surveillance,”. He said they followed him and had his house broken into. 

Politics Bureau

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