The former acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), Collins Letsoalo, says he has been removed from his position because he had uncovered a web of corruption involving executives and board members.
Letsoalo briefed the media in Pretoria on Monday, following a public apology to him in the Sunday Times. The newspaper retracted an article with the headline “Pay it back, AG tells Prasa’s 350% boss”.
Letsoalo was removed from his position by the board of Prasa following allegations that he hiked his salary by 350% from R1.7 million to R5.9 million a year.
“Truth is, through my walkabout and road shows, I had unearthed a web of corruption and looters. I had unearthed what I termed ”blame Lucky Montana and the previous board syndrome”. It had engulfed the organisation from the board all the way to the tea lady. I quickly discovered that some among the board and the executive are pathological liars,” says Letsoalo.
Letsoalo has rejected an apology offered to him by the Sunday Times. Addressing the media in Pretoria, Letsoalo says he is taking civil action against the newspaper despite its apology, which he claims is not enough.
Letsoalo is now a top official in the department of transport and wants financial compensation from the paper.
“The Sunday Times has apologised but the apology is not enough and I am saying, I am going to take civil action. Sunday Times might want to disclose who misled them because I really don’t think they as the publication have a thing against Letsoalo. I would find it odd. I wouldn’t understand why they would have such an approach. So I am saying it is not enough. I am saying I need to be compensated for the loss,” says Letsoalo.
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