The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture in Johannesburg has heard evidence of how former Minister Jeff Radebe allegedly helped propel former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana to the top of the organisation.
Former Board Chairperson Popo Molefe detailed to the commission how Montana worked his way to the top eventually becoming the CEO for the now cash-strapped SOE.
He first worked in the Department of Public Enterprise as a director under Radebe.
In 2004, when Radebe was appointed Minister of Transport, Montana followed him, taking up the position of Deputy DG.
Molefe detailed how Montana was given the responsibility to own the taxi recapitalisation program under the Department of Transport.
“A few months later, as a result, Minister Radebe then appointed Montana as CEO to the organisation,” says Molefe.
On Thursday, it was reported that Montana had deliberately hid information and misled the state-owned enterprise’s board regarding the Public Protector’s investigations about alleged capture and corruption at the agency.
Molefe told the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture that he first heard about the then Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report on Prasa through the media in 2015.
Molefe said he then confided in Montana regarding the matter, but he brushed it aside.
According to Molefe, shortly after that Montana resigned.
“The approach was there has been this report in the media about the pending report and the final fact that Prasa was given the interim report in request of questions. Do you have that report and if you do, why have you not given that report to the board? And he said, ‘you know, I’ve responded to the many questions the public protector has asked.’ But he doesn’t give us the report at that stage,” says Molefe.
On this video below, Dr Popo Molefe said Former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana was uncooperative:
