The court has not decided the application

The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has reserved judgment on a Section 342A application brought by accused persons in the long-running Transnet corruption case. The National Prosecuting Authority said on 23 October 2026 that the court is expected to deliver its decision on 26 November.

The application concerns alleged delays in the criminal proceedings and the defence’s ability to prepare for trial. It is not a finding of guilt or innocence on the underlying fraud, corruption and money-laundering allegations. The State is opposing the application.

Why electronic evidence is at the centre of the dispute

According to the NPA’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption, prosecutors outlined arrangements to give the accused access to electronic disclosure material needed to prepare their defence. Software experts representing the defence raised opposing views about those arrangements, leaving the court to decide how the dispute should be resolved.

Section 342A of the Criminal Procedure Act provides a mechanism for courts to examine unreasonable delays in criminal proceedings. In a case involving extensive procurement records, the practical ability to access and examine evidence has become a consequential procedural issue.

The procurement allegations remain contested

The prosecution concerns a transaction advisory tender awarded to a McKinsey-led consortium in 2012 and linked to the acquisition of 1,064 locomotives valued at more than R54 billion. The NPA alleges that Regiments Capital was irregularly introduced into the work and that the contract’s value and scope grew to more than R305 million. Charges also relate to a R93.4 million payment to Trillian Asset Management in 2015.

Among the accused named in the NPA’s latest statement are former Transnet executives Brian Molefe, Anoj Singh, Siyabonga Gama, Garry Pita and Phetolo Ramosebudi, together with several private-sector defendants. These are allegations advanced by the State; all accused retain the presumption of innocence unless and until a court finds otherwise.

What to watch on 26 November

The next significant step is the High Court’s ruling on the delay-related application. Its decision could shape the case-management process and the route to trial, but it will not itself determine whether the accused committed the alleged procurement offences.

For a case arising from one of South Africa’s most scrutinised state-owned-enterprise procurement programmes, the unresolved procedural issues underline the challenge of bringing complex public-corruption allegations to trial while protecting every accused person’s right to a fair hearing.

Sources and verification

National Prosecuting Authority / IDAC — judgment reserved announcement, 23 October 2026: Read source ↗

Eyewitness News — evidence-access dispute, 16 October 2026: Read source ↗

NPA — background on Transnet charges, 2025: Read source ↗