Coal Exporters Asked to Pay Millions to Help Transnet Settle Chinese Dispute
Major coal exporters in South Africa have been asked to contribute hundreds of millions of rands to assist Transnet in resolving a logistics crisis stemming from a dispute with a Chinese locomotive supplier, China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), reports News24. Transnet is a state-owned rail, port and pipeline company. The requested total contribution from the coal industry is around R1.4 billion. This prepayment is intended to settle Transnet's outstanding debt to CRRC and release locomotives that have been withheld. The dispute with CRRC is connected to allegations of corruption and state capture involving the Chinese company. Transnet's rail performance has suffered due to a lack of spare parts, resulting in a significant decline in coal transportation capacity. Coal exporting sources told News24 that several mining companies had agreed in principle to help, but they have not yet been asked to actually transfer the funds.
Convicted Bogus Prasa Engineer Faces Asset Forfeiture
Daniel Mtimkulu, a convicted fraudster and a central figure in the South African state capture scandal involving the Passenger Rail Association of South Africa (Prasa), faces the potential loss of valuable properties in Cape Town and Johannesburg as the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) seeks to recover R8.8 million from him, reports Belinda Pheto in an exclusive News24 report. Mtimkulu was found guilty of misrepresenting his qualifications to Prasa, leading to a fraudulent increase in his salary. The AFU is targeting his assets, including a house in Bedfordview, a property in Langebaan Country Estate in the Western Cape, and another property in Bellville, Cape Town. The AFU is also pursuing movable assets such as a trailer and a Honda Civic 4. Chief Justice Raymond Zondo recommended that Mtimkulu and others be criminally investigated for their role in questionable contracts.
Self-Proclaimed Philanthropist Malcolm X Arrested for Corruption
Malcolm X, a self-proclaimed philanthropist, has been arrested along with three police officers on corruption charges, reports IOL. The three officers, from the Silverton K9 unit and crime intelligence unit, allegedly demanded R2 million from a woman in exchange for her release, claiming her passport had fake stamps. Malcolm X is accused of being the middleman in facilitating the payment. The woman eventually paid R580,000, and her son was threatened with arrest. The case was reported to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, leading to the arrest of the accused. They have appeared in court, and a formal bail application is scheduled for October 26.
