Former Minister of Public Enterprises, Finance and Home Affairs charged with corruption

Former Public Enterprises, Finance, and Home Affairs Minister and current co-chair of Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence, Dr Malusi Gigaba, has been formally charged with corruption.

The Palm Ridge Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday that Gigaba is accused of receiving undue financial benefit during his tenure as Minister of Public Enterprises.

He has becoming the fifth accused in the controversial Transnet locomotive tender saga.

Gigaba appeared in court alongside former Transnet executives Brian Molefe, Siyabonga Gama, Anoj Singh, and engineer Thamsanqa Jiyane.

All five face charges linked to the 1,064-locomotive tender, a deal alleged to have cost the government over R54 billion.

“We added the fifth accused, Dr Malusi Gigaba, on one charge of corruption. It has to do with the period when he was Minister of Public Enterprises,” said Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) spokesperson Henry Mamothame.

“The state will allege he unduly received financial benefit, which translates to corruption,”

While Molefe, Gama, Singh, and Jiyane are facing fraud and corruption charges, Gigaba is specifically charged with corruption, classified as a Schedule One offence.

Prosecutor Santos Manillal explained that the State issued Gigaba a J175 summons accordingly.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had previously summoned Gigaba to the IDAC before laying charges.

The case centers on Transnet’s acquisition of locomotives between 2011 and 2014.

The State alleges that procurement processes were irregular and that costs were inflated to benefit preferred bidders, including firms linked to the controversial Gupta family, who reportedly received billions in kickbacks.

“The State alleges that, during the period that Dr Gigaba was the Minister of DPE, he on various occasions allegedly accepted and received undisclosed amounts of cash from members of the Gupta family which are corrupt in nature, and which he was not entitled to,” said Mamothame.

The Zondo Commission previously found that Gigaba played a key role in the appointment of Molefe as Transnet CEO, despite him not being the highest-scoring candidate.

Both Gigaba and Molefe were known to have close ties to the Gupta family and were frequent visitors to their Saxonwold residence.

Earlier this month, Newsday reported that Gigaba visited the offices of the IDAC in Lynnwood, Pretoria East.

At that time, IDAC confirmed he had not been placed under arrest, and that there would be no court appearance that day.

Gigaba maintains his denial of any wrongdoing.

The matter was postponed to 30 January 2026 for the disclosure of the docket, as well as the provision of an indictment, and a date for the transfer of the case to the high court.

This is a developing story.

Who is Malusi Gigaba?

Rising through the ranks of the ANC Youth League, Gigaba entered the national political stage at a young age, eventually serving in several high-profile cabinet positions under Presidents Jacob Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa.

His ministerial career includes appointments as Minister of Public Enterprises, Home Affairs, and Finance.

As Minister of Public Enterprises, he oversaw state-owned enterprises including Transnet, and his tenure is most frequently scrutinised for alleged involvement in state capture.

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, the Zondo Commission, implicated Gigaba in facilitating undue influence by the Gupta family, a wealthy business family accused of capturing state decision-making for private gain.

Among the specific allegations was his role in the reinstatement of Siyabonga Gama as Transnet CEO, involvement in procurement irregularities, and perceived favoritism toward Gupta-linked interests.

While the exact financial figures and contract details are contested, the commission recommended criminal investigation into his actions during this period.

Gigaba’s term as Minister of Finance was brief and turbulent. Appointed in 2017, he faced market instability and criticism for policy decisions perceived as politically motivated.

He returned to the National Assembly in the May 2024 general election after a period away from frontline politics and currently co-chairs the Joint Standing Committee on Defence.

Gigaba holds a PhD in Public Management and Governance from the University of Johannesburg, completed in July 2025.