President of both the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) and the Black Business Council (BBC) has rejected to accept an appointment to serve as board member at Transnet.
Speaking to Sunday World from Russia on Tuesday where he is attended the Russia Africa Summit conference of Brics which ended on Friday, Elias Monage said that he was not sure what motivated his nomination, and who raised his name for the position to serve on the state-owned entity.
Monage expressed reservation to take up the position, arguing he did not wish to be labelled “an opportunist”.
He added that considering the various positions he holds in the industry, he would rather decline the appointment to avoid a possible conflict of interests – and “the possibility to be associated with a likely state capture 2.0 enquiry following the Gupta’s shenanigans.
“I regrettably will need to decline the nomination to the Transnet board considering my various roles in the industry, and to avoid any possibility of a potential and/or perceived conflict of interest. I trust you will understand my principled position,” said Monage.
Speaking to Sunday World, Monage said that there was no sinister motive behind his rejection of the position but emphasised that he did not want to be labeled an opportunist and that he did not want to be conflicted as his line of business is aligned to what Transnet does.
“If I took up the position and later my businesses find themselves doing business with Transnet, I will be labelled a Gupta or get entangled in a state capture 2.0. I felt that it was a good thing to decline this position of being a board member at Transnet on principle.
I don’t want to be accused of using my position to score projects at the SOE (state-owned enterprises). It’s a matter of principle to avoid conflicts,” he said. Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordan announced the new board last week, where Monage was also announced as a board member.
Gorhan also announced the board would be chaired by the former vice president of the Minerals Council South Africa and ex-executive head of the Anglo-American South Africa, Andile Sangqu.
Gordhan also appointed the global supply chain coach and CEO of Sincport Lebogang Letsoalo and president of the Engineering Council of South Africa, Refilwe Buthelezi, as board members of the state entity.
Last week Thursday, Monage sent a letter to Gordhan declining the appointment. In the letter we have seen, Monage said while he was deeply humbled for the confidence shown in him, he would decline the appointment.
Other board members included Martin Debel, an executive director of Experion Global, head of the Presidential Climate Commission, Dipak Patel, as well as the CEO of Association for Savings and Investment SA, Busisa Jiya. Prasa CEO Portia Derby alongside the SOE’s CFO Nonkululeko Dlamini with non-executive directors Popo Molefe and Sydney Mufamadi retained their positions.
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