LIVE FEED: State Capture Inquiry - April 21, 2021
By Kailene Pillay
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Johannesburg - The commission of inquiry into state capture will continue to hear evidence related to allegations of corruption at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) from former group chief executive officer Lucky Montana today.
The commission will also hear Eskom-related evidence from an expert witness from Quintessence Digital Forensics, Cecil Louwrens.
On Tuesday, Montana not only claimed innocence in irregular contracts at the rail agency but he denied he had any links to the Gupta family and former president Jacob Zuma.
The former executive told deputy chief Justice Raymond Zondo that there was a campaign to discredit him and that those campaigners included former Prasa board chair Popo Molefe, former Prasa general manager for legal services Fani Dingiswayo and former head of legal Martha Ngoye.
Previously appearing before the commission, Montana has protested his innocence in the face of former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s damning “Derailed” report, findings in numerous investigations by Werksmans Attorneys instigated at the behest of former board chair Popo Molefe, and testimony by Molefe and three senior Prasa executives.
He also claimed a High Court judge, a full Supreme Court of Appeal Bench, and by inference, the Constitutional Court, were all wrong when it came to what happened on his watch at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).
Tuesday’s hearing continued the theme as evidence centred on a contract Prasa entered into with Prodigy Business Solutions, a company that had Durban businessman Roy Moodley, who is believed to have been a benefactor of former president Jacob Zuma, as a director.
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The handling of NSFAS funding at the Central Johannesburg TVET College will be probed by the SIU.
The SIU is investigating following allegations of corruption and maladministration.
A forensic report on the affairs of the institution was received by Blade Nzimande.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate Central Johannesburg TVET College (CJC) over allegations of corruption and maladministration with regard to the institution s handling of National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funds.
The SIU said the unit has to investigate the allegations and to recover any financial losses suffered.
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande reported the alleged irregularities to the SIU, it said in a statement.
Dilemma of choosing a career after high school by GODFREY KIMEGA Image: FILE
• Students face tough choices on their futures as KCSE draws to a conclusion
Aeronautical engineering or medicine? Agriculture or nursing? Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor in Journalism? Law or theology? These are the questions more than 750,000 high school leavers in Kenya face as they complete their final examination this month.
It s not just school leavers who are pondering these dilemmas. Parents and guardians are wondering what courses their children should take, courses that will help them get well-paying jobs when graduating a few years from now. Financial considerations also come to mind because prestigious courses such as law and medicine generally cost more compared to commonly offered courses, such as marketing and accounting.