SIU freezes former Prasa CEO’s properties over R5.6bn tender probe

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has obtained an order freezing two properties linked to former Prasa chief executive Tshepo Lucky Montana as it pursues a civil case over a R5.6 billion IT contract. The properties are a R13.5 million house in Hurlingham, Johannesburg, and a R2.25 million property in Waterkloof, Pretoria. The Special Tribunal order prevents Montana from selling, transferring, leasing or using the properties as security while the case continues.

The Registrar of Deeds has also been ordered to place restrictions on the title deeds. The SIU said its investigation found “a direct and uninterrupted money trail” linking money used to buy the properties to Prasa’s Integrated Security Access Management System contracts awarded to Siyangena Technologies, a subsidiary of TMM Holdings. The contracts covered equipment at railway stations, including access gates, public address systems and electronic display boards.

The project began as part of station upgrades ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup. Prasa awarded Siyangena the first contract in April 2011 for R1.96 billion. Further contracts and extensions followed, taking the total value to R5.63 billion by April 2016.The SIU said Montana’s legitimate income could not explain how the two properties were bought.

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“Instead, bank records showed that the funds were directly connected to payments made by companies within the TMM group and Precise Trade and Invest 02 (Pty) Ltd,” the SIU said. In the Waterkloof transaction, the SIU said Precise Trade and Invest received R1.85 million from ESS, part of the TMM group, and R4 million from TMM Holdings on June 18, 2014. It then paid R2.25 million to the attorneys handling the property transfer. The Waterkloof property was later registered in Montana’s name.

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