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Image: OUTA
OUTA: NTI testimony could expose governance failures in North West
Key testimony may expose governance failures and trigger long-overdue accountability
- NTI Technical Director Nelson Makgata to appear before the Legislature on 28 April 2026
- Testimony expected to cover governance failures, financial mismanagement, and procurement concerns
- OUTA urges authorities to treat the submission with urgency and seriousness
- Failures at NTI affect public funds, service delivery, and commuter trust
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) notes that Mr Nelson Makgata, Technical Director of the North West Transport Investment (NTI), will appear before the North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety and Transport Management on 28 April 2026.
This forms part of the Legislature’s ongoing inquiry into NTI.
OUTA believes this appearance is expected to shed light on long-standing concerns around governance, financial management, operational decision-making, and the business rescue process at the entity. The Committee has called for input on these issues as part of its fact-finding process.
OUTA has engaged with Mr Makgata and believes the substance of his submission must be taken seriously. The concerns he is expected to raise point to alleged irregularities and maladministration that have persisted over time.
This is not an internal dispute.
It is about how a provincially funded public transport entity is run and whether public money is being managed responsibly. When governance fails, the consequences are immediate. Services are disrupted, costs rise, and public confidence weakens.
“Mr Nelson Makgata’s appearance before the Portfolio Committee could be a turning point in understanding what has gone wrong at NTI.” Says OUTA CEO Wayne Duvenage. “The Committee now has an opportunity to interrogate the facts and follow the evidence. Where there is evidence of wrongdoing or abuse of public funds, there must be consequences. The cost of failure is carried by ordinary South Africans.”
OUTA has also raised broader concerns with the Minister of Transport, including governance instability, financial mismanagement, irregular procurement, weak oversight, and allegations of whistleblower intimidation. These failures have direct consequences for employees, commuters, and the service's sustainability.
OUTA does not claim specialist expertise on every aspect of the NTI matter. But the issues being raised are serious, credible, and in the public interest. They require close scrutiny from both legislators and the public.
OUTA will formally write to the Minister of Transport and the North West Provincial Legislature, calling for decisive action based on all credible evidence emerging from this process.
This cannot end with another report; the public needs to see what action follows, and when.
Supporting Information
A soundclip from Adv Stefanie Fick, is available here.
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