‘Save Prasa Campaign’ leaders swiftly suspended
THE PASSENGER Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) moved swiftly yesterday to suspend seven senior managers behind the “Save Prasa Campaign”.
At the same time, the auditor general’s office confirmed it would be investigating the parastatal.
The suspension comes a day after the officials, including former communications executive Moffet Mofokeng, briefed the media on their call for the reinstatement of former chief executive Lucky Montana, the demand for the board to refrain from operational issues and cancellation of service contracts that they found irregular.
One of the officials said they had received instructions between 12.30am and 1.30am yesterday to show cause by 8am why they should not be suspended.
Consulting
By midday yesterday, they were still consulting with their legal advisers on their response when Prasa served them with letters of suspension.
In a statement yesterday, Prasa said it was to be expected that some staff members would be unsettled as the parastatal embarked on its clean-up campaign, which would also be informed by the academic verification and skills audit, investigations conducted by the public protector and findings of the auditor general.
Prasa’s chief strategy officer Sipho Sithole’s statement tried to discredit each of the concerns raised by the campaigners saying:
Montana was not dismissed but he had instead resigned and voluntarily offered to stay for three more months after his notice period.
The appointment of public relations company Fore-Front appeared to be questionable.
Reinstatement of suspended employees would not be overturned as it was done in compliance with labour laws.
The board of directors were not dictatorial and did not victimise staff as alleged.
There was no unofficial decision taken to downsize Prasa.
None of the suspended senior managers were available for comment yesterday.
Prasa has over the past month degenerated into a cauldron of accusations and counter accusations as Montana battled with board chairman Popo Molefe over his suspension and dismissal, with allegations of corruption thrown back and forth.
High importance
Of high importance is the status of the R51 billion modernisation programme, which will see Prasa securing at least 20 locomotives from Brazil and then assembling more than 30 units locally from the imported prototypes.
This week one of the new trains headed for Cape Town derailed just before Kimberley, leaving 63 people injured.
Prasa will be in the news again on Monday as Public Protector Thuli Madonsela will release her report of investigations into the parastatal.
Acting chief executive Nathi Kena also has his work cut out for him to unravel a dispute over a R2.5bn integrated security and access control management systems security contract awarded to Siyangena Technology over long-standing suppliers SA Fence and Gate.