Dear Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises,

I have read a recent report on Transnet Procurement of Forge train wheels i remember writing a few emails to the committee addressed to Ms Fubbs requesting intervention with Transnet in specifically and the failure to support localisation of forge wheels
At this time i also met with Naledi to see how we could together garner support from the committee

Im very suprised to read Naledi had a sudden change of heart as per their Chairman and i can understand the Committee members questioning how the change happened so fast

I can put the dots together and i can also say nothing has changed firstly Naledi couldnt localise forge wheels and would never have been able to for that reason i offered to setup a Plant to supply Naledi since they had the 7 year tender this was weeks before this commitee met with Naledi and im just as surprised by Naledi stance be that as it may

In that same month Edward Thomas called me to a meeting at Transnet i informed Naledi i told Mr Thomas locslise the wheels im prepared to work with Naledi and supply them but Mr Thomas had other idea

I believe the belt was tighting around the Transnet Executive necks and a way out was to pull Naledi in and get the Chinese to invest in setting up a ringroller plant thats why their was that sudden change of heart the Naledi Chairman couldnt explain Naledi benefited and good luck to them its great to see another Black Industrialist came out of business rescue

Sad thing here i feel the localisation of Forge wheels still has not been addressed and Transnet and Naledi did the unforgivable by denying another Black Business from setting up Factory this is wrong and the Commitee via Ms Fubbs and DTI should have called me in to state my case and im sure it would have answered the confusion around the sudden change of heart

Nothing has changed as far as the localisation of Forge wheels is concerned i am still struggling to get Transnet Prasa thats Mr Piet Sebela and Gibela to acknowledge we have 4ir technology and a Factory that we can redevelop to produce forge wheels

Dti is well aware Transnet Executives and its Board is aware we ready to impliment but nothing is forthcoming

Like the Commitee visited Naledi Plant why cant the Commitee show same interest in my endeavours what is the difference here fact is Nalefi won a tender to supply for 7 years yet cannot today produce forge wheels

Yours Sincerely

Hilton Layman