President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate contracts awarded by the North West provincial administration that are linked to businessman Suliman Carrim. The probe centres on a R168-million contract awarded by the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management to a joint venture between Carrim’s Transnat Coach Lines and Ziggy Investments, and will examine whether improper conduct and financial losses to the state occurred.
Scope of the inquiry
The SIU's mandate, announced following the presidential proclamation, will include scrutiny of financial transactions between the joint venture and the late taxi boss Jotham “King Mswazi” Msibi. Investigators will also assess the role of North West Transport Investment (NTI) — the entity that awarded the tenders and which is now under business rescue — in the receipt, processing, approval and payment of claims submitted by the contractors.
“The SIU has been authorised to investigate significant maladministration in the NTI’s operations regarding the receipt, processing, approval, and payment of claims submitted by Transanat Limited, Ziggy Investments CC, and by the Tansanat Coachlines, Ziggy Investment Joint Venture,” SIU spokesperson Selby Makgatho said.
The investigation is intended to establish whether procurement procedures were followed, whether recipients gained improper benefits and whether the state suffered financial harm.
Why this matters for the North West
At stake is public confidence in provincial procurement and the stewardship of funds meant for transport and community safety services. The R168-million contract is the headline figure, but the SIU will also follow related financial flows and claims paid through the NTI. The probe comes as NTI faces business rescue, a process that itself raises questions about governance and creditor protection.
- Primary contract under scrutiny: R168-million awarded to a Transnat–Ziggy joint venture.
- Entities to be examined: Transnat Coach Lines, Ziggy Investments, NTI, and transactions involving Jotham “King Mswazi” Msibi.
- Mandate: Determine maladministration, improper benefit, and potential financial losses to the state.
Related developments and wider SIU work
The presidential proclamation also authorised an SIU probe into the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality’s procurement of security and VIP protection services, expanding that office’s ongoing work into municipal contracts and whether those processes were fair, competitive, transparent, equitable and cost-effective.
The decision to deploy the SIU against provincial contracts highlights the executive’s recourse to investigative tools when allegations of improper conduct in procurement arise. The SIU’s findings can lead to civil action to recover losses and may inform criminal investigations handled by SAPS or the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation where warranted.
What is already known
Public reporting has linked the Transnat–Ziggy joint venture to claims processed by the NTI. The SIU statement identifies the receipt, processing, approval and payment of claims as focal points for the probe. Carrim is also facing separate criminal charges and has repeatedly failed to appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, citing ill health; the commission will proceed with the evidence it already has.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Contract value | R168-million |
| Prime contractor | Transnat Coach Lines (joint venture with Ziggy Investments) |
| Entity that awarded tenders | North West Transport Investment (NTI) (under business rescue) |
| Related individual | Jotham “King Mswazi” Msibi (late taxi boss) |
Implications for workers and communities
Transport contracts and the functioning of entities such as the NTI have direct implications for taxi operators, commuters and workers who rely on provincial contracts for income and service delivery. A thorough investigation could clarify whether the procurement process disadvantaged smaller operators or diverted funds away from intended services. It could also determine whether creditors and workers are at risk in the business rescue process of the NTI.
The investigation may take months to complete; the SIU will need to trace financial records, contracts and approvals and may compel documents and testimony as authorised by the proclamation. Any findings of maladministration could lead to civil recovery actions and inform criminal referrals.
For residents and workers in the North West, the SIU probe is an important step towards accountability in provincial procurement. Until the SIU releases its findings, questions will remain about how a major transport contract was awarded and paid, and what losses, if any, were suffered by the state.
