Prasa has suspended 13 senior staff following allegations of corruption and fraud. This emerged during engagements with Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula and roleplayers at the Mabopane Train Station, north of Pretoria.
Train services between Mabopane and Pretoria were suspended last December due to the vandalism of rail infrastructure and cable theft that have left thousands of commuters seeking alternative and expensive public transportation.
Bongisizwe Mpondo has been appointed as Prasa administrator. He has confirmed that investigations are underway.
“The SIU prepared the reports based on the probe last year as they were seconded to Prasa. So, the indication was that 42 cases needed to be taken forward with a number of factors on them. Based on those recommendations, we’ve suspended 13 senior officials as of yesterday,” says Mpondo.
Transport Minister on the state of affairs in Prasa:
Prasa’s electricity debt
Earlier, Prasa says it is optimistic that the City of Cape Town will not cut electricity supply to train stations and other facilities.
Prasa made these comments ahead of a meeting between the agency and the City to discuss a R114 million electricity debt.
The City of Cape Town had given Prasa until the weekend to pay its debt or face disconnection of services by Monday.
Late last month, thousands of commuters were left stranded in Cape Town after Eskom cut electricity supply to Prasa’s train operations due to an unpaid electricity bill.
We’ve had to make tough decisions on PRASA, the AG, the Public Protector and many other reports detailed a sad state of affairs that required intervention.
We will bring PRASA into stability #FixingPRASA pic.twitter.com/VuTma0c9iA
— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) March 12, 2020
