In an article published by the Mail & Guardian, Gautrain concession company, Bombardier, was accused of drawing up a “sleazy ‘capture plan’ to win over decision-makers and gained inside information on its competitor’s bid while campaigning to win the R26 billion Gautrain contract”.

The article cited accusations of corruption amongst key politicians, officials and Bombardier.

Representative of Bombardier Transportation in South Africa, Julian Gwillim, issued a statement to Infrastructure News stating that the company does not condone making any payments to win contracts, and maintains and will continue to maintain the highest standards of ethical behaviour in all of its dealings worldwide.

“We enforce a strict code of conduct. We follow local and international laws and regulations in every country in which we operate,” the statement said. “We have robust internal and external processes, standards and procedures that are audited regularly, and that reflect international best practice.

“It is a common business practice in many industries for companies to hire representatives and agents in countries in which they wish to develop business. The selection and retention of agents and representatives is done in accordance with international standards and regulations and follows a rigorous process including due diligence that complies with all local and international laws and regulations.”