Malusi Gigaba has found himself back in the spotlight — again.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has stated that the former Public Enterprises Minister will be formally charged in connection with the corruption-tainted Transnet locomotive saga. But he’s not behind bars yet.
On Thursday, Gigaba met with the NPA’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) as part of the ongoing probe into Transnet’s infamous tender for 1,064 locomotives – the one that cost Transnet R54 billion and became a poster child for state capture, with accusations that Gupta-linked companies pocketed billions in kickbacks.
Cue the inevitable social-media meltdown and headlines screaming “Gigaba arrested!”.
IDAC quickly poured cold water on that take. Gigaba was never cuffed, detained or taken into custody — he simply met investigators and returned home by midday.
But the NPA has confirmed they will make formal charges, meaning a court date is imminent, even if the charges aren’t yet known. (These will only be made public once Gigaba is formally charged in court.)
The case dates back to his tenure as Public Enterprises Minister from 2010 to 2014, when Transnet executives allegedly manipulated procurement processes to benefit politically connected networks. The Zondo Commission found that both Transnet’s leadership and the ministry failed to prevent inflated costs and irregular spending. While Gigaba hasn’t been directly accused of pocketing bribes, he was flagged for enabling and defending those who did.
Earlier this year, several key figures, former CEO Brian Molefe, CFO Anoj Singh, former freight boss Siyabonga Gama and procurement head Thamsanqa Jiyane (the so-called ‘Big Four’), were arrested and are already out on R50,000 bail each.
Gigaba, ever the polished communicator, made a statement on Friday that his conscience is “clear” and that everything he did was “guided by policy, process and the value of accountability”. He even thanked South Africans for their support and promised full cooperation. Classic Malusi.
But let’s be real: Gigaba has long been one of South Africa’s most controversial politicians. From hobnobbing with the Guptas (whom the Zondo Commission accused him of having a suspiciously ‘close relationship’ with, despite his denials) to that infamous 2018 NSFW video leak, where a private clip supposedly meant for his wife went viral – he claims he was hacked. The scandals have dogged him for years, contributing to his resignation as Home Affairs Minister and endless headlines. Now his next scandal chapter is beginning.
