Prasa looks to sta ff up

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has admitted to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) being scammed by about 3 000 “ghost workers”, a racket initially uncovered in December.

Prasa has since stopped salary payments and will begin efforts to fill key vacant positions – a pressing matter.

Among the vacant positions are group chief executive, chief human capital officer, chief procurement officer and Prasa CEO.

Mbalula said he faces the “arduous task of getting Prasa back on track following years of subpar performance, failure to spend on its capital programmes and corruption”.

Other efforts to stabilise the company will go towards recovering commuter rail operations and giving better consideration to operational safety and security.

Addressing a virtual meeting of the standing committee on public accounts on Tuesday, Mbalula said: “As of 28 February, a total of 737 employees were acting in various roles across the Prasa group at a cost of R8 843 649.

“Prasa currently has over 3 500 vacancies nationally.”

This is a “vacancy rate of 19%, which remains unacceptably high”.

He said a “new operating model and organisational design will be implemented in a phased manner, commencing at the beginning of the new financial year”.

The group CEO position became vacant when Zolani Matthews’ contract was terminated last year.

The vacancy was advertised in March and “filling the position is a priority”, Prasa said.

David Mphelo is currently acting group CEO.

The position of chief human capital officer has been vacant since the death of Thandeka Mabija.

Nonhlanhla Kondowe is acting group human capital officer.

The vacancy may be affected by the new operating model, which will introduce a shared service model.

CEO Prasa Rail has been vacant for 13 months and will only be advertised upon implementation of the new organisational structure, Prasa said.

Nelson Malefane is currently acting CEO.