E-tolling or E Thief?

[Citizen X]

We must never loose sight of the fact that etolling has been averred as an investment/saving opportunity i.e. when you eventually pay for etolling on roads that you currently use but pay nothing for, you'll either make R8.84 for every rand you spend on etolling or you'll save R8.84 for every rand you spend. You'll also have the added benefit of extra time for the gym and extra time for your family. So, since we take this for face value, why doesn't that Austrian company simply buy our etolling investment portfolio's? Then they can make R8.84 for every rand they spend buying this portfolio from us or they'll save R8.84 for every rand they spend and they'll also have more time for the gym and their family!

Sanral and the department of transport

[Citizen X]

There’s still misleading representations that have no factual basis making the public rounds:
“Do not allow popular opinion to subvert what would otherwise be a good decision.”
The implication: Etolling is a good decision.The entire South African population, the people of South Africa are wrong???
“ Someone must pay that 32 billion.”
The question I’d like to pose to you is simply this: Will you trust the Government through the Department of Transport and Sanral with your bank account? Don’t answer until you’ve digested the following:
1. We were rated the 54^th most corrupt country out of 178 countries by “The 2010 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index.” I’m confident that since that 2010 report we must be closer to number 1! Do we get a prize if we the most corrupt country in the world?

2. Some South African highlights that should allow us to win that most corrupt country prize:

“Public Protector Thuli Madonsela will soon wrap up a probe into the contested R500-million lease of a Pretoria building by the South African Police Service (SAPS). The high-value deal, which involved the SAPS, the department of public works and a businessman linked to President Jacob Zuma, has been described as "shady" and "dodgy" in months gone by as it did not follow normal tender processes. Madonsela received an 11th-hour response to inquiries into the deal from police National Commissioner Bheki Cele on Sunday. Responses from the Treasury -- whose regulations were contravened -- the department of public works, and complainant Paul Hoffman from the South African Institute for Accountability were received earlier this year.
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2011-01-...gy-office-deal



ICT 'forged Kumba application'

Johannesburg - Imperial Crown Trading (ICT) allegedly got hold of Kumba’s application for mineral rights and forged parts of it over the long weekend extending from April 30 to May 4 last year.
The falsified documents were apparently submitted with ICT’s application for the very same mineral rights that Kumba had applied for, but Kumba’s application had failed.
The rights were awarded to ICT at the insistence of Jacinto Rocha, the then deputy director-general for the regulation of mineral resources, despite recommendations from all his senior officials that the application should be rejected.
ArcelorMittal South Africa (Amsa) wanted to pay R800m for ICT’s rights, and had concluded a black economic empowerment deal worth R9bn with all the parties involved, all of whom have strong ANC connections.
A total 50% of ICT belongs to Jagdish Parekh, a confidant and friend of President Jacob Zuma and his son Duduzane. Kumba’s court documents argue that:
- The prescribed application form was not included when ICT’s application for the mineral rights was lodged at the provisional office of the Kimberley Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) on May 4 last year;
- ICT’s application contains falsified copies of title deeds of farms on which mineral rights had been awarded, which had clearly been copied from Kumba's application;
- Prospecting rights awarded to ICT were on farms that were part of the Sishen property, but for which ICT had not applied. Kumba had in fact applied for mineral rights on this land, the remaining portion of the farm 468; and .........
http://www.miningmx.com/news/markets...y-fraud%20.htm





Zuma's son linked to Sishen firm

Duduzane Zuma (27) is, together with Jagdish Parekh, a director and shareholder at JIC Mining Services, a contractor mining company that mainly provides labour-broking services to mines. During the past two weeks Parekh has become a director of ICT and, according to him, owns 50% of this company. This means that Parekh now owns 10.7% of the mineral rights in the Sishen mine - the world's biggest iron-ore mine at Kathu in the Northern Cape.
http://www.fin24.com/Companies/Zumas...-firm-20100418





'Fraud could cripple SA'

"Behind every corrupt official, contract or tender there is a company involved in the process of corruption." This is according to Bart Henderson, president of the South African Institute of Corporate Fraud Management. Henderson said South Africans are becoming increasingly aware of how fraud is penetrating not only the public but also the private sector, and the crippling effect it has on service delivery and the economy.
http://www.fin24.com/Business/Fraud-...le-SA-20091029





AG names and shames state spendthrifts

Cape Town - The Auditor General's office on Wednesday named and shamed departments guilty of irregular expenditure in the last financial year, with defence being the worst offender. That department racked up more than R1bn in irregular expenditure, accounting for 43% of the government's total bill of irregular expenditure of just under R3.9bn in 2009/10. ...... Here the three worst offenders were the Road Traffic Management Corporation with R360m, the National Prosecuting Authority with R273m and the Property Management Trading Entity with R264m. The State Information Technology Agency accumulated R214m in irregular expenditure, and Cipro R95m. In both cases the full amount was attributed to flawed procurement.
http://fin24.com/Economy/AG-names-an...rifts-20101117





AG questions CCMA's R22m IT spend

The Auditor-General has cleared the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) of fraud and corruption, but found the organisation spent millions on ICT procurement irregularly. The irregular expenditure was revealed by the AG's report to Parliament late last week, after it conducted an investigation into the CCMA at the Department of Labour's request.
Last October, the Labour Department referred the Commission to the AGs office, citing several concerns, including the appointment of service providers and the employment of personnel – including the risk and human resource managers – without proper processes being followed. The Auditor-General's report, completed last month and now tabled in Parliament, reveals the CCMA spent R23.6 million irregularly, because the proper procurement processes were not followed. The majority of this amount – approximately R22.85 million – was allocated to ICT expenditure.
http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?opt...ticle&id=35907





Agency spent R106m on party

R100 000 for balloons, R60 000 for confetti and R90 000 for a headstone. These are some of the exorbitant payments made by the National Youth Development Agency – a government agency tasked with creating jobs for the youth – to politically connected businesspeople and artists for last December’s World Festival of Youth and Students.....
» A company owned by “kwaito king” Arthur Mafokate was paid R5.3 million for providing entertainment, including expensive balloons and confetti; » A company owned by Mafikozolo band manager Julius Mekwa received a contract worth almost R9 million for managing the opening and closing ceremonies; » Bitline SA, a company owned by ANC Youth League president Julius Malema’s well-known business associate Ali Boshielo, scored more than R1 million for providing bags, T-shirts and other paraphernalia; and
http://www.fin24.com/Economy/Agency-...party-20111009

All Expenses Paid

Businessman Panganathan "Timmy" Marimuthu, a close friend of suspended national police commissioner Bheki Cele, with a conviction for drug dealing , and his family were paid more than R1.6-million from the fund in less than two years. An extensive trail of documents shows that:
http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/2012/04/22/all-expenses-paid"






ANC to bag R50m from Eskom deals

The ANC's investment arm Chancellor House will receive R50m over eight years in profit from the Eskom Medupi and Kusile power stations, Hitachi Power Africa said on Tuesday. "Chancellor House will only share in the profits of the local scope and it will not be billions... We are looking at about R50m over a period of eight years. That's the magnitude," said Hitachi Power Africa CEO Johannes Musel.
http://www.fin24.com/Economy/ANC-to-...deals-20100420





ANC's unpaid millions: Lawsuits just keep piling up

The company that held a major contract with the ANC for its January 8 celebration earlier this year says it is owed R10-million and the party is not paying. And subcontractors of the company that held the primary contract for the ANC's campaign ahead of last year's local government elections say they have not been paid in full. Documents in the Mail & Guardian's possession support this claim. Yet the ANC maintains that it lives within its means and that the only bill it has not paid is under discussion. This itself is in dispute, however. Details of the ANC's funding and the contracts it is involved in are hard to get. There is no obligation on political parties to disclose the source of donations or how much money they receive. In terms of contract disputes, the close links between the party and the government make for tight-lipped companies and individuals. "If you deal with government departments that give out business, just about everyone that makes a decision there is deployed from the ANC," said one source this week, after being pressed for information. "If I tell you things I'll be blacklisted. Maybe not on paper, but I won't be getting tenders, that's for sure."
http://mg.co.za/article/2012-03-23-ancs-unpaid-millions





ANCYL lands a lucrative contract

A printing company linked to the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) and partly owned by the league’s national executive committee member Ali Boshielo has landed a crucial printing contract with the Limpopo government. A letter from the Government Printing Works sent to Review Printers shows that the company was awarded the contract in March for “printing and supplying of general full-colour work in the Limpopo province for a period of one-year commencing April 1 2010 and terminating March 31 2011”. Documents in the possession of City Press show that the ANCYL’s investment vehicle – the South African Youth Development Trust – holds a stake of 30% in Review Printers.
http://www.citypress.co.za/SouthAfri...tract-20100502





Borehole tender shame

Official papers in City Press’s possession show that more than half of the 100 tenders, ranging in value from R8 000 to R499 000, were issued to a list of beneficiaries packed with ­local ANC cadres and activists.
Mopani district municipality mayor Joshua Matlou, an ally of Premier Cassel Mathale and ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, was subsequently elevated to the party’s regional chairpersonship unopposed. An ANC local leader who refused to be named said: “Those tenders were for the conference. That is why that boy (Matlou) was ­elected unopposed.” The beneficiaries, including Desmond Mahasha, branch chairperson Phetole Molapisane and Member of the Provincial Legislature Pharephare Mothupi, got their share of the tenders less than a month before the Mopani regional elective conference last September. This has stirred up allegations that taxpayers’ money was used to buy votes.
http://www.citypress.co.za/SouthAfrica/News/Borehole-tender-shame-20100627"

[Citizen X]

It’s common cause that there is a major difference between the billing system and meter readings. Imagine if the City Council had direct excess to your bank account! They would simply deduct whatever they believed you owed them, and that would be that!
Common denominator: The City Council is an organ of the State and the Department of Transport and it’s baby Sanral are organs of the State
Sanral and Department of Transport
YOU CAN TRUST US WITH YOUR BANK ACCOUNT

[Citizen X]

Electronic Toll Consortium(ETC) CEO: Salahdin Yacoubi and his attitude!
One politically connected company that will benefit from etolling is none other than: Tsebo Holdings.
This is a catering company so what expertise they have in roads is beyond me! This company is partly owned by Nozala Investments and Lereko. “Nozala Investments is headed by Salukazi Dakile-Hlongwane, a trustee of ANC front company Chancellor House. Lereko is owned by former environmental Minister valli Moosa and Chancellor House trustee Pop Molefe.”
Now, here’s where it gets interesting: “ A major beneficiary is Swedish company Kapsch TrafficCom, which owns 40% of the main contractor, Electronic Toll Consortium(ETC) whose CEO is none other than Salahdin Yacoubi. This company ETC was until 2000 owned by’ arms company SAAB, which paid bribes of more than R24 million to ensure that it was picked to supply Gripen Jets to SA in the ARMS deal.
Salahadin Yacoubi on these companies, “ How I source things is my decision. Firstly, I didn’t know about any links with the ANC and secondly I’m not interested. If you have problems because the owners are linked to this or that, I’m sorry. I’m a private company I can do that.”
I’m beginning to understand now why it’s so urgent to pay that 32 Billion!

Urgency to pay 32 billion. “ Someone must foot the Bill.” " we can't default on payment."

[Blurock]

The plot thickens!

A list of beneficiaries will obviously not be made public. Once the secrecy bill is passed, information such as this will not be open to the public who needs to be protected from the political scavengers.

I have always thought that tolls should be raised to pay for a specific road, bridge or infrastructure. The money raised would then be used for the maintenance of such a road. The ANC government obviously thinks differently; by privatising a road, they can now profit from the deal.

Sickening....

[Citizen X]

My impassioned Plea to the following Soth African Provinces: Eastern Cape, Free State, Kwazulu Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape and Western Cape
1. Etolling was never about improving or maintaining our roads, it will never be about improving or maintaining our South African roads. Its sole purpose is to unjustifiably enrich certain individuals and certain companies. It is a lucrative business opportunity. South Africans are being lied to!
2. The intention is to roll out etolling to all other provinces. The argument of why should other provinces pay for Gauteng roads has an immediate intention(Dolus), namely, don’t get other provinces voices heard on this matter, deal swiftly with any Gauteng uprising and when etolling is rolled out to other provinces then deal with them accordingly; Start the objection to etolling process now already in your Provinces, i.e. petitions etc
3. With the benefit of objective hindsight, I now realize that the installation of these etolling gantries caused huge traffic problems of being unnecessarily delayed in traffic because these gantries needed to be installed to enrich certain individuals and companies, there were many accidents caused as a direct result of such road works, the vast majority of us Gautengers innocently believed that the Government was improving the roads for the 2010 world cup and improving the roads for us. I think we overlooked the frustration and inconvenience such road works caused us. The only major road works were the installation of these gantries;
4. No one believes or accepts the argument that for every rand you personally spend on etolling you will either make R8.84 or save R8.84 and even have extra time for the gym and to spend with your family. Without paying etolls as at today’s date, you not saving anything, there is no improvement in traffic(traffic is as worse as it possibly could be and will only get worse), you don’t have extra time to spend with your family or to go to the gym, new road users are entering the traffic on a daily basis so when we reach a situation of paying how will that improve your situation, you will only make you poorer by that amount you have to pay!
5. If the Arab uprising or Spring has taught us anything then it’s simply this: The Will of the people eventually prevails!
WE WANT YOU TO HAVE BETTER ROADS, WE CARE ABOUT YOU

[Dave A]

I'm not sure there's much the provinces can do about it - it's national roads that are being tolled and it falls within the ambit of national government.

Interesting that Chancellor House has a finger in the pie, albeit quite far removed from source by the looks of things. Just one more oddity that on its own one probably couldn't read too much into it. But when you add it to all the other little oddities around the financing and ownership, it really does add up to something of a fishy brew.

[Citizen X]

Yes, some murky waters there. The one positive is that it united South Africans. a common cause. I think the Arab saying for this is ," The enemy of my enemy is my friend!"

[Citizen X]

Re: Your resignation: Ref: Nazir Alli


Dear Mr Alli,



1. I refer to the above matter and further to your resignation which came before me in my official capacity of South African Citizen(ex officio);

2. I hereby confirm that I accept your resignation, and furthermore that you may stay in your position until 3 June 2012
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you everything of the best!


Best regards,

South African Citizen


"The immediate focus and priority of the board is to ensure that Sanral continues to perform its essential role in operating and maintaining more than 16000km of national roads across South Africa," Mr Mnyaka said.

Mr Mnyaka, in my official capacity as a South African citizen I hereby inform you that I’m pleased that you are going to perform your essential role in operating and maintaining more than 16000km of national roads across South Africa.”
Please continue to do so as you have done so all these years without etolling.
Don’t worry about who should pay that 32 billion, just like the pebble nuclear project failed so too should etolling. Just invite that Austrian company for supper, I’m sure that they will understand.
Best regards,
South African Citizen

[Nickolai Naydenov]

Here's the latest article from Mail & Guardian:

SANRAL only able to limp on for six months
08 MAY 2012 16:30 - LYNLEY DONNELLY

As CEO Nazir Alli resigns, treasury told parliamentarians that Sanral would only be able to survive another six months through "major sacrifices".

As the embattled South African National Roads Agency lost its CEO, Nazir Alli, the national treasury told parliamentarians on Tuesday that Sanral would only be able to survive for another six months and only through “major sacrifices”.

For the next six months Sanral could exist by “scraping” together resources intended for other purposes and using them to make sure that it meets its immediate finanicial obligations — “but only through major sacrifrices and for a very short period”, said transport department director general Lungisa Fuzile.

He was speaking at a briefing on the treasury’s strategic plan to the portfolio committee on finance.

The government would not allow Sanral to collapse, nor was it able to walk away from Sanral’s liabilities as the legislation establishing agency included a strong implicit guarantee of its debts, he said.*This was reinforced by government’s explicit commitments to back Sanral’s debt, said Fuzile.

The decision by Moody’s to downgrade Sanral’s debt by two notches, which the state had warned of in court proceedings last week, was “very serious”, he said.*Not only did it substantially raise Sanral’s cost of borrowings, but it also brought Sanral bonds very close to a sub-investment grade rating.

If an financial instrument, such as a bond, is rated as sub-investment grade they are deemed much more risky.

This meant , said Fuzile, that many of Sanral’s investors are now taken to the legal limits of the types of investments they are able to hold on behalf of their clients.

“This is a crisis environment,” said deputy finance minister Nhlanhla Nene after the briefing.

The Cabinet committee was seeking to ensure that Sanral was sustainable beyond the next six months and is treating this as an urgent matter, he said.

According to treasury, the government has guaranteed 56% of Sanral’s debt, approximately R21.4-billion of a total debt of R37.9-billion.

The department acknowledged concerns around the impact of Sanral’s debt downgrade on other state-owned entities but is confident the other SOE’s, on a stand-alone basis, had solid financial metrics.

However, opposition MPs were very critical of treasury’s reluctance to deal with the Sanral issue in greater detail.

The department had warned early in the week that it wanted to focus on issues relevant to its strategic plan, rather than deal with a matter that was part of the ongoing court proceedings and being addressed by Cabinet.

The hearing was a missed opportunity to deal with the worries regarding the state of the SOE debt market, in the wake of Sanral crisis, said Congress of the People MP Nick Koornhof.

Democratic Alliance MP Tim Harris called on Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan to explain the fiscal consequences on the country with the delay of the e-toll project, and to outline alternative options that will minimise the cost to the taxpayers.