eFinder

eFinder

Home › State Capture and Corruption › Article

SARS audit links ex-Prasa boss Lucky Montana to recipient of ‘tall trains’ funds

Daily Maverick · · 2438 words · By Pieter-Louis Myburgh
State Capture and Corruption tax evasion Public Accountability
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-05-17-sars-audit-links-ex-prasa-bos…

psychologyDetected Techniques

warning
Loaded Language 90% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
warning
Name Calling / Labeling 80% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
warning
Doubt 70% confidence
Questioning the credibility of a source or claim without providing evidence.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

13 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

info Single Source 4
check_circle Corroborated 3
schedule Pending 3
help Insufficient Evidence 2
verified Verified By Reference 1
verified
“SARS in October 2025 publicly released Montana’s tax records following a longstanding legal fight over his tax returns.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of general definitions of 'South', 'Revenue service', and 'SARS' (the agency), but contains no information regarding the public release of Lucky Montana's tax records in October 2025.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is the revenue service of the South African government. It administers the country's tax system and customs service, and enforces compliance with related legis…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Revenue_Service
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024–25 South African Premiership was the 29th consecutive season of the South African Premiership. It was known as the Betway Premiership for sponsorship reasons, after the premature end of the s…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_South_African_Premiers…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — A revenue service, revenue agency or taxation authority is a government agency responsible for the intake of government revenue, including taxes and sometimes non-tax revenue. Depending on the jurisdi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenue_service
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
“The revenue collector slapped Montana with a R55-million tax bill over income the former Prasa boss had allegedly failed to declare.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results confirm that SARS issued a R55-million tax bill to Lucky Montana due to undeclared income.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tshepo Lucky Montana (born 25 April 1970) is a South African public administrator and former politician. He served as the chief executive officer of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) f…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Montana
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Lucky Montana's Tax Debt. R36m Income undeclared to Sars over 10 years. R2m+ Undeclared capital gains. R55m Current total debt including interest and penalties.
https://www.businessday.co.za/bd/national/2025-10-14-how-luc…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Former PRASA head Lucky Montana publicly disputes SARS's claims of a R55 million tax debt, alleging systemic issues within the agency and proposing a settlement offer of R5.
https://iol.co.za/dailynews/news/2025-10-15-montanas-defianc…
+ 1 more evidence source
info
“Montana substantially benefited from property dealings involving a Prasa contractor that clinched contentious security infrastructure contracts worth R4.5-billion.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence provided for this claim consists of irrelevant search results for 'Lucky' supermarkets and clothing brands, providing no information about property dealings or Prasa contractors.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Affordable groceries with everyday low prices on California’s diverse flavors. Shop fresh produce and quality ingredients at your local Lucky Supermarket.
https://luckysupermarkets.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Shop Lucky Brand for a relaxed but put-together style that is uniquely American. Shop quality shirts, jackets, denim jeans, and accessories for both men and women.
https://www.luckybrand.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago · The meaning of LUCKY is having good luck. How to use lucky in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Lucky.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lucky
info
“Montana’s tax troubles started in November 2020, when SARS’ Criminal and Illicit Economic Activities Division... informed him that they would audit his tax affairs for the 2009–2019 period.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence provided for this claim refers to the medical disease SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) rather than the South African Revenue Service, and does not mention Lucky Montana's audit.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory disease of zoonotic origin caused by the virus SARS-CoV-1, the first identified strain of the SARS-related coronavirus. The first known …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SARS
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a contagious illness caused by a coronavirus. It′s a disease that affects the lungs and airways, also called a respiratory illness. The coronavirus that cau…
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sars/symptoms…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Feb 5, 2026 · SARS, which stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome, is a potentially deadly disease. Learn more about the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of SARS.
https://www.webmd.com/lung/lung-what-is-sars
check_circle
“This reporter in 2015 exposed property dealings that tied Montana to a lawyer of Siyangena Technologies, a Pretoria-based company that had bagged Prasa contracts worth R4.5-billion for installing security infrastructure at train stations across the country”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that Siyangena Technologies won a Prasa contract worth R4.5 billion for security infrastructure (integrated security systems/speed gates) at stations.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Siyangena’s Prasa windfall and the manner in which it clinched these contracts have come under fire on various platforms. A high court ruling has found that the company and Prasa’s management were com…
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-15-the-backs…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Siyangena, in 2011, won a contract to install an integrated security system at the passenger rail agency's stations, including providing security cameras and access gates.
https://www.news24.com/business/high-court-sets-aside-r45-bi…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The SCA on Tuesday rejected Siyangena Technologies’ appeal bid. Archive photo of Siyangena’s so-called “speed gates” at Cape Town Station.The contracts were for the supply and maintenance of “integrat…
https://groundup.org.za/article/sca-denies-siyanegas-r55-bil…
check_circle
“the state-owned rail operator awarded a R3.5-billion contract to Swifambo Rail Leasing, an apparent shell company that imported unsuitable locomotives from a Spanish manufacturer.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm Prasa awarded a R3.5-billion contract to Swifambo Rail Leasing for locomotives from a Spanish manufacturer (Vossloh España), and that these were deemed unsuitable.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — One contract worth R3.5 billion was awarded to Swifambo Rail Leasing, while another company, Siyaya Consulting Engineers, received some R900 million from Prasa between 2010 and 2011.
https://www.sierraleonenews.net/news/264300064/prasa-lost-bi…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The second-largest PRASA contract covered in the Zondo Commission report was R3.5-billion to Swifambo for the acquisition of 88 locomotives over five years.
https://groundup.org.za/article/prasa-corruption-investigati…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) recently imported 13 brand new diesel locomotives to the value of R600 million which are part of a larger order of 70 locomotives valued at of R3.5 bi…
https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2015-07-05-government-s…
info
“Sacks established that Siyangena’s holding company, TMM, together with individuals linked to the group, had channelled a staggering R45-million towards property transactions for Montana’s benefit.”
SINGLE SOURCE
Only one relevant source (News24) mentions TMM paying R7.5 million for a property purchase for Montana. The claim of R45-million is not corroborated by the other provided evidence (which are generic converters or LinkedIn login pages).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Find the right job or internship for you.Discover the best software tools. Connect with buyers who have first-hand experience to find the best products for you.
https://www.linkedin.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Convert from million to billion and vice versa effortlessly. Discover how many millions are in a billion with our precise, speedy converter. Try it now!
https://www.omnicalculator.com/conversion/million-to-billion
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Meanwhile, Siyangena's holding company, TMM, directly paid a whopping R7.5 million to the transfer attorneys to conclude Montana's purchase of the Waterkloof property. This is according to documents t…
https://www.news24.com/business/companies/industrial/the-ful…
info
“In the 2018 and 2019 tax years, for instance, Montana received payments totalling R285,000 that bore the reference “WKH Landgrebe & Co”.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence provided for this claim consists of irrelevant search results for 'Lucky' supermarkets and clothing brands.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Affordable groceries with everyday low prices on California’s diverse flavors. Shop fresh produce and quality ingredients at your local Lucky Supermarket.
https://luckysupermarkets.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Shop Lucky Brand for a relaxed but put-together style that is uniquely American. Shop quality shirts, jackets, denim jeans, and accessories for both men and women.
https://www.luckybrand.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago · The meaning of LUCKY is having good luck. How to use lucky in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Lucky.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lucky
help
“a payment of R400,000, with the reference “El Shaddai Investments”, was made into one of Montana’s bank accounts in the 2018 tax year.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found after searching for this specific payment from El Shaddai Investments.
help
“In 2013, Prasa began transferring eye-watering sums of money to Swifambo Rail Leasing. The initial payment, transferred to Swifambo in April of that year, amounted to R460-million. By mid-2015, Prasa’s transfers to Swifambo totalled R2.6-billion.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found after searching for these specific transfer amounts and dates to Swifambo Rail Leasing.
schedule
“Swifambo ended up transferring a total of R32-million to WKH Landgrebe from 2013 to 2018... The payments consisted purely of funds Swifambo had received from Prasa.”
PENDING
schedule
“WKH Landgrebe’s namesake founder, meanwhile, is also listed as the sole director of an entity called El Shaddai Investments.”
PENDING
schedule
“Landgrebe’s accounting firm had channeled R24.5-million towards a property transaction involving Swifambo’s director, Mashaba. The money was used to acquire El Shaddai’s stake in a Western Cape farm.”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.