Railway official charged
A TRANSNET official has been charged alongside notorious crook "Oom" Dries Marais, who allegedly stole railway tracks and sleepers from the company late in 2008.
Marais, 74, is already serving an eight-year sentence in Cape Town for fraud.
It is alleged that Transnet security guard Bhuyekise Damane, 51, stationed in Queenstown at the time, helped forge a letter from Transnet saying Marais had permission to remove railway lines and sleepers.
Dumane faces a charge of fraud, while Marais faces charges of forgery, theft, fraud, attempting to defeat the ends of justice, perjury and uttering. They are both expected in the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court again on November 18. The matter was postponed yesterday for further investigation.
It is alleged that Marais stole R2.7-million worth of rails and sleepers near Steynsburg by hiring companies to dismantle, lift and transport the material to the Western Cape. - Kathryn Kimberley
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