Mbalula welcomes SCA decision against Siyangena on Prasa contracts

An appeal court judgment dismissing a bid by Siyangena Technologies to overturn a finding it was complicit in corruption when it scored contracts valued at about R5.5bn from Prasa will enable the transport department to move at a brisker pace in implementing its rail modernisation programme.

This was stated by transport minister Fikile Mbalula on Wednesday. He welcomed Tuesday's Supreme Court of Appeal judgment, saying it bolstered confidence in the department’s efforts to uproot all forms of corruption.

“We are hard at work to rebuild our rail infrastructure and modernise the system. A great deal of this will entail tackling corruption and malfeasance that has undermined massive investments towards the modernisation programme,” Mbalula said.

He said he was pleased with the court judgment as it brought finality to the matter.

Siyangena was appointed by Prasa to supply and maintain an integrated security access management system at various train stations before 2010.  The rollout was extended with substantially increasing costs through an ostensibly irregular procurement process.

Prasa approached the Pretoria high court in March 2018 to have its decision to conclude about R5.5bn in procurement contracts with Siyangena reviewed and set aside.

In addition to setting aside the contracts in 2020, the full bench of the court directed that an independent engineer be appointed to determine whether any payments made to Siyangena by Prasa should be offset against the value of work done.

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