Prasa’s R57m ghost fleet

PARKED: VEHICLES BOUGHT FOR R57.6 MILLION, BUT STANDING UNUSED

The 174 new vehicles – among them Nissan NP300 bakkies, Toyota Quantum minibuses, Hyundai H-1 minibuses, VW Kombis and Polo Vivo sedans – bought at taxpayers’ expense by Prasa have been gathering dust for more than a year, say sources.

A source said the excuse given was the absence of tracking units.

Atotal of 174 brand new vehicles, which were all bought more than a year ago at a cost of more than R57.6 million of taxpayers’ money, are gathering dust in the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) headquarters parking area in Hatfield, Pretoria.

Two independent sources at the agency have confirmed that the vehicles were bought for the agency’s various entities across the country, but more than a year later had not yet been distributed.

The Citizen’s sources requested to remain anonymous.

A senior security staffer this week told The Citizen the last time the engines of the vehicles ran was when they were delivered.

“For over a year now, on a daily basis, we have been checking and recording the condition of the vehicles. Although they have been standing there, some already have scratches. Some do not even start anymore,” the source said.

He said there was no tangible explanation why the vehicles were not distributed but said talk in the corridors was that it was because they were waiting to be installed with tracking devices.

The source said contractors arrived on Monday to start installing tracking devices.

“More than 10 technicians from a tracking company arrived [on Monday] to install the tracking devices on the vehicles. By the afternoon more than 40 vehicles had been installed with the devices,” the source said.

Another source said the reason it took so long for the devices to be installed was because there were irregularities in the appointment of the tracking company.

“A senior manager apparently interfered with the procurement processes to appoint his preferred bidder. When this emerged, original tendering documents vanished,” he said.

Prasa failed to respond to The Citizen’s request for comment on the matter, despite spokesperson, Nana Zenani, indicating on Monday that they would do so by yesterday.

Picture: Jacques Nelles PART OF FURNITURE. Some of the vehicles bought last year by Prasa fill the parking area at Prasa House in Pretoria yesterday.

Pictures: Jacques Nelles WASTED WHEELS. R57.6 million was spent on a fleet of vehicles by Prasa, but they have been standing in the parking area at Prasa House in Pretoria for more than a year.

GOING NOWHERE. Some of the 174 vehicles purchased by Prasa that are unused and filling the parking area at Prasa House.