Cape Town – Former cabinet minister Malusi Gigaba has been ordered by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to appear in court on Friday in connection with a sweeping corruption investigation into the state-owned rail operator Transnet SOC Ltd.
According to Gigaba’s office, he has been “informed … that he is required to attend court on 7 November 2025, where he will be formally charged in connection with the ongoing proceedings related to procurement activities at Transnet.”
The statement added: “I respect the processes of our constitutional democracy and will continue to cooperate fully with the legal system as it performs its duties. My conscience is clear regarding my conduct in office – my actions have always been guided by policy, process and the values of accountability and service.”
While the NPA has not yet publicly detailed the precise charges he will face, they relate to the procurement of more than a thousand locomotives and other major contracts at Transnet during the period when Gigaba served as Minister of Public Enterprises.
I have been summoned to appear in court this morning. I do not know what the charges are yet, but I’ll let you know after receiving the charge sheet. Let me declare that I have full confidence in our courts – they are the forum where facts, not fiction, will finally prevail. My… pic.twitter.com/0hxLUEichz
— Dr Malusi Gigaba (@drmalusigigaba) November 7, 2025
The backdrop to this case is the much-publicised “state capture” era: an investigation by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (often called the Zondo Commission) found that Transnet’s diesel-electric locomotive procurement in the early 2010s had ballooned in cost from around R38 billion to over R50 billion, with the report suggesting that the procurement process bypassed Treasury approval and enabled undue influence by politically connected groups.
His appearance is part of a broader push by the NPA and the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) to hold former SOE executives and government officials accountable. Among those already charged in related deals are former Transnet executives such as Brian Molefe and Anoj Singh.
For now, Gigaba is not under arrest but will voluntarily present himself at IDAC in Pretoria, the investigating body said.
[BREAKING NEWS] ANC MP and former minister Malusi Gigaba has been ordered to appear in court. #DStv403 #TheSouthAfricanMorning #QuestionThinkAct pic.twitter.com/xjcj9WQS1v
— eNCA (@eNCA) November 7, 2025
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
