Latest news with #Outa
Eyewitness News
a day ago
- Business
- Eyewitness News
From arrest to conviction? OUTA hopeful Brian Molefe et all will face justice
Sara-Jayne Makwala King 1 July 2025 | 6:46 Transnet Brian Molefe Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit Former Transnet executives (from left to right), Anoj Singh, Brian Molefe, Siyabonga Gama and Thamsanqa Jiyane appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court on 30 June 2025 on corruption, fraud and money laundering charges. Picture: Alpha Ramushwana/EWN John Maytham (in for CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit) speaks to Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) CEO Wayne Duvenage about the arrest of Brian Molefe, Anoj Singh, Thamsanqa Jiyane and Siyabonga Gama. Listen below: From arrest to conviction? Former Transnet CEOs Brian Molefe and Siyabonga Gama have been released on R50,000 bail after appearing in court on Monday on charges of fraud and corruption. They appeared alongside fellow accused Anoj Singh and Thamsanqa Jiyane in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court on charges stemming from their time at the state-owned entity. The arrests were executed by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) and relate to a dodgy 2015 tender for hundreds of locomotives. But will this be the case that finally sees public officials brought to justice for corruption? Duvenage is hopeful. "The evidence here is quite strong, and we don't believe, after the few hiccups they've had, that they would be going down this road on a flimsy or weak case." - Wayne Duvenage, CEO - Outa "This will have legs, and we are confident that justice will be served." - Wayne Duvenage, CEO - Outa The commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture recommended that Molefe, Gama and Singh be investigated for allegedly diverting state funds to the controversial Gupta family. It's understood that a contract to supply the locomotives to Transnet was originally awarded to another company, but this was later cancelled and given to Trillian Capital, which is linked to the Guptas. While the former Transnet execs are claiming their innocence, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) insists there is substantial evidence linking them to the crimes. "The NPA has dropped the ball, due to infiltration, in the past." - Wayne Duvenage, CEO - Outa "There are some concerns, but in this case, the prosecutors have done their homework." - Wayne Duvenage, CEO - Outa Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.
Daily Maverick
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Maverick
It's time to clean house at the Setas — the future of our workforce depends on it
South Africa's Sectoral Education and Training Authorities (Setas) were established to address the country's critical skills gaps and to drive workplace training in support of economic development. Instead, many have become breeding grounds for corruption, cadre patronage and unchecked maladministration. For years, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has investigated and reported on serious governance failures within the Setas, with substantial work done in collaboration with many whistle-blowers at the following three entities: the Services Seta, the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (Inseta) and the Construction, Education and Training Authority (Ceta). Numerous red flags have been raised and reported about procurement irregularities, staff victimisation, board dysfunction, lack of transparency and poor financial oversight. Time and again, we've seen evidence of power abused by executives and board members who appear to operate with impunity. We have reported on several highly dubious and grossly inflated multimillion-rand contracts at Inseta, awarded to companies with little to no experience in the supposed work they were contracted to do. We've witnessed how employees who have raised their concerns or got in the way of irregular procurement practices have been suspended or fired on trumped-up charges. Despite the board being made aware of these serious concerns with evidence provided to them, they chose to look away and do nothing to hold the executive managers to account. Inseta also faces a business damages claim of more than R200-million from the Graduate Institute of Financial Sciences (Gifs), which exposed ghost learners and other maladministration issues. Instead of embracing Gifs for pointing out these problems, Inseta's CEO, Gugu Mkhize, chose to use a dubious report that gave Gifs no right of reply, and to strike it off Inseta's accreditation list, causing catastrophic damage to the company. For years, Outa and whistle-blowers have exposed the rot at Services Seta, exposing highly inflated tender awards under Andile Nongogo's tenure as its CEO between 2016 and 2019. Nongogo surfaced shortly thereafter as the CEO of the National Student Finance Aid Scheme (NSFAS) in December 2020, and we were not surprised to see a number of his Service Seta suppliers surface in highly irregular contracts awarded at NSFAS. It took relentless reports of irregularities by Outa and the media to eventually have Nongogo fired from his position at NSFAS in 2023. To this day, the acting CEO and the board at Service Seta have done almost nothing to implement the recommendations of a Werkmans' forensic report that highlighted the irregularities and fraudulent contracts awarded by Service Seta's management. This, in turn, raises questions about their lack of oversight and possible support in covering up the rot by the board of Services Seta. In the case of Ceta, multiple reports have been presented to the board and the minister about the abuse of power by top management and the widespread fear among staff, some of who have been suspended or fired because they either knew too much or got in the way of irregular conduct by Malusi Shezi, the CEO. Shezi, who is also in a business relationship with Nongogo, entered into several dubious contracts with the same suppliers that were implicated in the Werksmans report on irregularities at Service Seta. It doesn't end there. The rot spreads across multiple Setas. The Media, Information and Communication Technologies Seta has made headlines for questionable procurement deals, spending irregularities and high fees paid to its board members. The Wholesale and Retail Seta has also featured in media reports for serious irregularities and audit concerns. This is a systemic issue that points to a culture of exploitation and political shielding across the Seta environment, including numerous universities, TVET colleges and the National Skills Fund, while Blade Nzimande was at the helm of the Higher Education ministry. Which brings us to the present. The new minister of higher education, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, has held the power and the responsibility for the past year, tasked with trying to fix this cesspool of corruption and a poorly administered department that has long been broken. Pivotal moment With the appointment of new Seta board chairpersons currently under way, the minister has a pivotal moment to chart a different path, one that could see the introduction of good governance and robust oversight, which is a role that many previous boards have failed or refused to fulfil. To do so, the minister must ensure that individuals of impeccable integrity and proven governance track records are appointed to these oversight roles. These appointments should not be compromised or prone to political expediency in any way whatsoever. The new Seta boards must be empowered not just to look forward but to cast a critical eye on the past conduct of executive managers by investigating historical wrongdoing and holding executive directors to account. They should also ensure the recovery of funds lost to corruption and the laying of criminal charges against perpetrators. Seta executives who have presided over years of qualified audits and reputational damage should not be allowed to continue in their posts. Accountability and transparency should never be optional. Many are mindful of the political minefield the new minister has to navigate. Her recent appearance before Parliament to explain the secrecy surrounding the original list of proposed Seta board chairs has raised serious concerns. Many, as do I, believe that list was influenced by the ANC's Cadre Deployment Committee, an unelected structure that has long eroded good governance in the public sector. Nkabane now finds herself in a precarious position, having been accused of misleading Parliament while most likely trying to protect the ANC from an embarrassing exposé. Nkabane's reality as an ANC-appointed Cabinet member is shared with others who are finding it extremely difficult to seek reform within various departments that are entangled in networks of patronage and power preservation. But these dynamics cannot be allowed to override the urgent need for credibility, competence and clean governance at institutions tasked with acting in the best interest of advancing South Africa's skills base. Fortunately, we have seen how effectively this work can be done, following Nkabane's appointment of no-nonsense people such as Waseem Carrim (CEO) and Dr Karen Stander (chairperson) at NSFAS, who are cleaning up and taking a stand by undoing the rot and cancelling dubious contracts undertaken by their predecessors. The Setas must be rescued from capture. This is not just about appointments, it is about restoring public trust, protecting whistle-blowers and ensuring that the billions of rands allocated to workplace training are used for their intended purpose. The time for the polite tolerance of dysfunction is over. We urge Nkabane and the political powers in play to act decisively and to stand firm against the inevitable resistance from vested interests. The future of our workforce depends on it. DM
The Herald
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Herald
Transport department ‘weighing' extending validity of driving licences
'The tender was awarded in August and in September we handed our investigation report to the minister, who passed it on to the auditor-general. 'In March this year, the minister announced that the [auditor-general's] investigation confirmed irregularities, and said she would go to court to overturn the tender award. We are waiting for clarity on the contract process,' said Fick. The department's Collen Msibi has confirmed the ministry received the letter from Outa and it is 'being processed internally for the minister's attention'. 'T he driving licence card agency of the department is also conducting a study of the financial implications on the extension of the validity period of driving licence cards,' Msibi said, on Outa's recommendation for an extended validity period. 'Motorists can drive with an expired card for up to three months before being eligible to be fined, provided they can show proof they applied for a new card before their current card expires.' 'If the card had expired at the time of application for a replacement, they must apply for a temporary driver's licence and keep proof thereof in the vehicle. 'A temporary driver's licence is valid for six months, or until the new or replacement card is issued.'
IOL News
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Call for Transport Minister to suspend penalties for motorists amid driving licence backlog
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has asked Transport Minister to suspend penalties related to expired driver's licence cards for motorists who have applied for renewals. Image: File photo: INLSA The Department of Transport is facing mounting pressure to address a significant backlog of driving licence cards, currently standing at 690,000, following the breakdown of its sole card-printing machine in April. As the department works to reduce this backlog, which has decreased by approximately 43,000 from the previously reported 733,000, stakeholders are urging Transport Minister Barbara Creecy to waive fines for motorists affected by the delays. The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse's (Outa) Advocate Stefanie Fick on Tuesday wrote to Creecy and asked her to consider announcing a moratorium on fines related to expired driver's licence cards for motorists who have already applied for renewals, and that no temporary licences should be required until all backlogs have been cleared. She also requested the department to consider issuing public communication of this moratorium through all official channels, including the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), provincial traffic authorities and traditional and social media. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Fick added that the department must provide clarity to all enforcement officials to prevent unwarranted fines and harassment of motorists. Department of Transport spokesperson, Collin Msibi, confirmed it received the letter which is being processed internally for the Minister's attention. Fick said it was important to note that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the department recognised the exceptional circumstances and issued blanket extensions on the validity of expired driver's licences, allowing the public reasonable leeway while the system was caught up. She said this temporary relief was an example of fair, compassionate governance in the face of operational disruption. 'We urge the department to take a similar approach now, especially given that this crisis stems from internal systemic failures rather than a national emergency,' Fick said. Creecy recently revealed that the department spent over R12 million on the repair and maintenance of the printing machine over the past three years. The department has been trying to procure another machine for years, but repeatedly cancelled and reissued the tender. In August last year, the department announced that it had appointed Idemia and Security South Africa as the preferred bidder for a tender to print new driving licence smart cards. However, Outa's investigation uncovered irregularities and handed the report to Creecy, who in turn passed it to the Auditor-General (AG). In March, Creecy announced that the AG investigation identified instances of non-compliance with the required procurement procedures, and added that she instructed her department to lodge a High Court application for a declaratory order regarding the tender. Fick said Outa is still waiting for clarity on the contract process. Cape Argus
The Citizen
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Salga looking for ideas to help municipalities despite solution already offered
Outa have offering a free service delivery reporting app to municipalities for three years, but only one metro accepted. The largest municipalities across South Africa are on the hunt for new ideas to solve service delivery challenges. An Intercity Innovation Challenge was launched last week with two core themes in mind — township tech transformation and intelligent service delivery. Spearheaded by the South African Local Government Association (Salga), assistance with the project will be provided by business incubator specialists and tertiary institutions. Tech solutions for municipalities The search for ideas will focus on the Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Cape Town, Buffalo City, Mangaung, eThekwini and Nelson Mandela Bay municipalities. The initiative plans to pair enhanced service delivery and digital technologies with the values and goals of the G20, National Development Plan 2030 and Integrated Urban Development Framework. 'This national initiative aims to chiefly surface community-powered, tech-enabled solutions that promote inclusive development and foster innovation, improve public service delivery and management decision-making,' stated Salga. The Innovation Hub, Innovate Durban and Wits University's Tshimologong Precinct will be judging the ideas based on challenge-specific criteria. The innovation challenge is a spin-off of a similar project that has been running in Johannesburg for several years. Last October, the City of Johannesburg offered R1 million for the best way to fix the city, but no winners have been made public to date. Two specific challenges The township tech transformation challenge will be a call for solutions to infrastructure, unemployment and limited digital access in informal settlements. Submissions must be innovative, original, feasible, scalable and demonstrate the potential for social impact through clear presentation. Submissions for the intelligent service delivery challenge must meet the same criteria but must address 'reactive, inefficient, or disconnected' service delivery. 'Intelligent service delivery means using real-time data, predictive maintenance, user feedback, and automation to provide services more efficiently, transparently, and sustainably,' stated Salga. Winning ideas will receive funding and early-stage developmental support, which will include technical and business mentorship. Existing Outa solution Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) CEO Wayne Duvenage considered the Salga initiative a 'good idea', as he believes the body was mandated to assist local government interests. 'As it is, many municipalities outsource their services to external consultants, due to their incompetence on matters such as finance, engineering, road maintenance, etc,' Duvenage told The Citizen. However, Duvenage explained that Outa had been offering a free service delivery reporting app to Salga and the same metros for the past three years. 'This was a live, geolocation incident reporting tool which enables residents to report potholes, traffic light malfunctions, water leaks, sewage leaks, signage issues, street lights, etc,' he said. He added that this data would be fed directly into the municipality's enterprise resource planning systems, but that only 10 small municipalities and the City of Cape Town had taken up the free offer. 'They just didn't want to take it up. I think it may also have something to do with civil society owning the process instead of themselves,' suggested Duvenage. 'The app would have allowed us as civil society to benchmark cities with the best levels of repair times, and we believe the poorly managed cities did not want that, so they simply didn't respond,' he added. Intellectual property retained The window for idea submissions will be open between 13 June and 15 August, with an announcement on winning ideas scheduled for November. Participants retain ownership of their intellectual property, including current government employees whose employment contracts take precedence over the project terms and conditions. '[We aim] to unlock the under-leveraged innovation ecosystem by supporting low-cost, high-impact solutions that use technology to improve quality of life, generate income, or expand access to essential services,' stated Salga. Despite the snub, the Outa CEO hoped the innovation initiative would be fruitful and provide results for municipalities. 'Hopefully, Salga's Intercity Innovation Challenge will be able to introduce their own reporting tool or solution in this regard,' Duvenage concluded. NOW READ: JRA allocated just 1% of amount needed to fix Johannesburg's roads
