Gigaba ‘stifling good governance’ – Molefe

PASSENGER Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) board chairman Popo Molefe yesterday accused Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba of withholding a Treasury nominee to his board and stifling corporate governance at the state enterprise.

Molefe, who was reinstated as board chairman following a court challenge, claimed it was clear attempts were being made to isolate him immediately after the appointment of Gigaba and new Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi.

“They called non-executive directors one by one so I remain alone, because when I am alone, there will be no board to take decisions.

“Now there are four of us, we are supposed to be six and include the nominee from Treasury and another from the Department of Transport,’’ Molefe told delegates to the Conference for the Future of SA, organised by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and Save SA to stop state capture.

“These two ministries have withheld the two nominees so the board, which requires six people to correlate, must not have a quorum.’’

Molefe said he was “surprised’’ by Gigaba’s statement on good governance last week, when the minister announced his 14-point plan projected to save the country’s ailing economy.

“I listened to him speaking at the JSE saying he wanted good, efficient state entities and good governance, while he is withholding a nominee who should be on the board of Prasa to do its work.

“The board cannot finalise its work because there is no quorum,’’ he said to applause. – ANA