SIU freezes ex-Prasa CEO Lucky Montana's luxury homes in R5.6bn tender corruption probe
The South African Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has frozen two luxury properties belonging to former Prasa CEO Tshepo Lucky Montana. The action follows an investigation into a R5.6 billion tender corruption scandal involving the rail agency.
Why it matters
This represents a significant development in state efforts to recover assets lost to corruption within South African public infrastructure projects.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has frozen two multimillion‑rand properties of former PRASA Group CEO Tshepo Lucky Montana. Picture: SIU.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has frozen two multimillion‑rand properties of former Prasa Group CEO Tshepo Lucky Montana, after tracing a ‘direct money trail’ from the rail agency’s R5.6 billion Integrated Security Access Management System (ISAMS) contracts to the luxury homes in Hurlingham and Waterkloof.
The Special Tribunal granted a preservation order prohibiting Montana from selling, transferring, leasing, encumbering or otherwise dealing with the properties while the SIU pursues civil recovery proceedings.
The preserved assets comprise a Hurlingham, Johannesburg property purchased for R13.5 million and a Waterkloof, Pretoria property bought for R2.25 million. The Tribunal further directed the Registrar of Deeds to endorse the title deeds with caveats to prevent any unauthorised transactions.
The SIU said its investigation found that Montana’s lawful income could not explain the acquisitions.
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