Anoj Singh was a loose cannon at Transnet, commission hears

As Transnet began to show signs of financial bleeding due to over R600 million in payments made to Gupta-linked Regiments Capital and McKinsey Consulting, former group chief executive Brian Molefe emerged as “a smooth operator”, while former chief financial officer Anoj Singh was seen as “a loose cannon”.

Regiments were part of a consortium that offered transaction advisory services to the SOE, which could have been easily rendered by the state-owned enterprise (SOE) group’s skilled team.

According to testimony heard at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture on Thursday, Molefe had styled himself as the “smooth operator” amid the chaos, who always promised to “deal” with Singh who became “a loose cannon” out to burn the SEO’s budget in questionable payments.

Giving testimony, Transnet former group treasurer Mathane Makgatho said she regarded Molefe as “a brother” and someone she could go to, to express deep concerns about Singh’s costly blunders.

Singh made no bones about his confidence in Regiments director Eric Woods, whom he brought on board as a Transnet advisor, with confidential multibillion-rand locomotive tender evaluation meetings.

“Whenever I would go to Molefe to voice concerns about decisions made by Singh that were destined to cripple Transnet financially, he turned out to be a smooth operator, who promised to deal with Singh in a manner that did not ruffle any feathers.”

Makgatho continues her testimony today.

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