Former Transnet CEO Brian Molefe, mired in mounting evidence of corrupt decision-making during his time at the parastatal, yesterday sank even deeper as the state capture commission heard testimony by Gerhard van der Westhuizen.
The chartered accountant and former employee of the state-owned company told commission chair Judge Raymond Zondo that he had had a “violent disagreement” with Molefe over the awarding of a tender to T-Systems.
Since they were Molefe’s preferred recipient of a systems network contract, Van der Westhuizen’s protestations at the time was railroaded, despite a tender by Neotel being the clear favourite.
Even a runner-up tender pitch by Dimension Data had proved stronger than Molefe’s choice, Van der Westhuizen said.
But Zondo heard how Molefe apparently flew into a rage when challenged by Van der Westhuizen.
“I don’t think I had much of choice,” Van der Westhhuizen said about bowing to Molefe’s demands.
“I thought my employment might be ended.”
The commission also heard how T-Systems managed to cleave off R248 million from its original proposal, but only after it had received the tender.
The commission was told that the ‘discount’ was irregular.
