Transnet's board on Thursday, announced the suspension of two senior executives.
"The board of Transnet today suspended two senior Transnet executives – Thamsanqa Jiyane, the chief officer for advanced manufacturing of Transnet Engineering and Lindiwe Mdletshe, the senior manager for strategic sourcing for Transnet Freight Rail," the board said in a statement.
"Both employees are implicated in multiple investigations commissioned by the Transnet board, primarily the awarding of the 1 064 locomotives acquisition tender, the value of which escalated to more than R54-billion."
They were both served with formal notices of the intention to place them on precautionary suspension on August 15, and were granted the opportunity to put forward a defence.
The board said at a special meeting on Wednesday, it considered their representations.
"The board concluded that representations by the employees were implausible and that their continued presence at Transnet is likely to hinder and prejudice further forensic investigations that the board has instituted," it said.
"Further charges against the implicated parties include the withholding of company information that is crucial and relevant to the locomotives tender from the forensic investigation, not cooperating with investigators and refusing to hand over company property in the form of laptops, mobile phones and other devices. The board will execute other resolutions confirmed by yesterday’s meeting in due course."