Hogan fired Gama for 'own political ends'

Ousted Transnet Freight Rail chief executive Siyabonga Gama has accused Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan of orchestrating his dismissal for her own political ends.

Gama, through his lawyer, Themba Langa, said yesterday that the charges instituted against him by Transnet were politically motivated, given that they were indiscretions brought to the fore when he showed interest in becoming the parastatal's chief executive.

Transnet fired Gama this week after a disciplinary committee found him guilty of contravening corporate governance procedures when he awarded a multi-million rand security tender to a company linked to Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda.

The committee also found him guilty of awarding a coach refurbishment contract to a company with inadequate qualifications, and said there had been an irretrievable breakdown in the relationship between Gama and Transnet.

Though the DA congratulated Hogan and Transnet for their swift action in axing Gama, Langa said the minister's actions "shocked" his client.

"The role of Minister Hogan, in calling for the dismissal of Gama, has shocked [him] and his family, and it revealed the multiple manifest political and economic interests that Gama might have trampled on when 'he raised his hand' for the job," Langa said.

He said Gama's case was "riddled with controversy" in that Transnet "actively ran the internal matter in the press to garner public opinion on their version of what had happened".

"Gama has been subjected to a vicious media persecution when [he], who has been outstanding in his leadership roles within the Transnet Group in the past 16 years, was charged with incidents of alleged irregularities that had occurred at least two years prior to the date when Gama was charged.

"Gama did not anticipate that the expression of his interest to be considered for the position of [group chief executive] of Transnet would lead to such a roller-coaster life experience," Langa said.

But DA MP Pieter van Dalen said his party believed Hogan deserved applause for her "principled stance".

"Hogan's actions are a watershed moment for boards wishing to perform according to good governance standards and not be intimidated by the politically powerful.

"Her axing of Gama contradicts the ANC's preferred policy of cadre deployment, which seeks to deploy party loyalists to key positions in the public service and state-owned enterprises - and keep them there - regardless of their qualifications, experience or performance," Van Dalen said.