The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and State-owned Transnet have welcomed the judgment handed down by Judge Lebogang Modiba at a special tribunal sitting on August 31, wherein former Transnet employee Herbert Msagala was instructed to pay back R26.4-million to Transnet.

The special tribunal found that Msagala illegally received payments from Transnet service provider, IGS Consulting Engineers, while employed full time by Transnet.

The SIU and Transnet instituted civil matters in the special tribunal in July 2020 to order that Msagala repay the money he received from a tender with IGS Consulting between 2015 and 2016.

The judgment is a key step in ensuring accountability and consequence management for executives who may have been involved in criminal activity while employed at Transnet, the State-owned entity said in a statement.

Transnet further said it would continue to work with the SIU and other law enforcement agencies to ensure justice is served on all those found guilty of wrongdoing.

SIU head Advocate Andy Mothibi said that the instruction was “a continuation of implementation of the SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management to recover financial losses suffered by State institutions, including State-owned entities like Transnet".

Mothibi added that there were other cases on the roll in the High Court and in the special tribunal which were awaiting adjudication, which would result in “further recoveries for the State”.