Lucky Montana

Tshepo Lucky Montana (born 25 April 1970) In the 2024 South African general election, he was elected to the National Assembly as a member of the UMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party, up until his resignation from Parliament in December 2025.

Career Early public transport positions Montana entered the public transport sector in the 1990s. In 2005, he was appointed to the board of the South African Rail Commuter Corporation, PRASA's predecessor, later becoming its chief executive officer. According to the Mail & Guardian, he also served for a period as a political adviser to Jeff Radebe during Radebe's tenure as Minister of Public Enterprises.

PRASA Montana was appointed group CEO of PRASA in October 2010. Later that year, media reports identified him as a front-runner for the Transnet CEO position, although he remained at PRASA.

Montana's tenure at PRASA was marked by significant controversy. In June 2022, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (the Zondo Commission) recommended that law-enforcement authorities expedite investigations into alleged criminal misconduct involving Montana's time at PRASA. The commission also recommended that the National Prosecuting Authority consider potential prosecution and called for a dedicated inquiry into PRASA's decline during and after his leadership.

Commission chairperson Raymond Zondo wrote Many, many days of the Commission's hearings were devoted to the allegations of the capture of PRASA and strident denials thereof, especially by Mr Montana. However, I am left with the uneasy perception that there is much about the ills of PRASA that has not yet been uncovered.

Member of Parliament Montana was elected to the National Assembly in 2024 as an MK Party representative via the national list.

In response, Montana publicly accused SARS of "fraudulently doctoring a fake court judgment" to justify the tax bill, and alleged the tax-imposition process was part of a politically motivated "witch hunt". According to media reports, he claimed there was no existing court judgment authorising the amount, and reportedly laid criminal charges against senior SARS officials for fraud and abuse of power. He denied owing SARS any money, stating "I do not owe SARS a cent."

SARS responded in AugustOctober 2025. The institution issued a statement labelling Montana's allegations "false, scandalous and vexatious", and warned that it would invoke the disclosure power under section 67(5) of the Tax Administration Act if he did not retract his claims within 24 hours. SARS maintained that its audit process, assessments, civil judgments and sequestration application were legally valid, and that Montana had under-declared income and remained liable for unpaid tax. By 17 October 2025, the High Court dismissed Montana's condonation application, for late filing of his responding affidavit, and struck out his replying affidavit in the sequestration proceedings, effectively upholding SARS' case. SARS also noted that a "compromise offer" made by Montana in August 2025, offering about million toward the alleged million, which contradicted his public denials of owing any money.