The City of Cape Town says it is ready to help ensure a reliable, affordable and efficient passenger rail service in the metro in the future.
Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Rob Quintas, was reacting to Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula’s announcement that government intended to reform the rail sector by bringing in third-party operators.
Rob Quintas says he looks forward to engaging national government on the issue, as the city has been seeking permission to take over the rail service from Prasa.
He says, “The service has imploded in recent years as Capetonians have deserted trains because they have become unreliable and unsafe.”
Last week, Prasa fired Group CEO Zolani Matthews with immediate effect.
The rail agency said Mathews intentionally failed to disclose his dual citizenship. He was placed on suspension last month pending an investigation.
Mathews was appointed in February this year.
Numsa Spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says Matthews was not the right person for this job.
“He treated employees with total disdain, and he did not make any effort to address the crisis of rampant mismanagement at Autopax. He had no plans to turn Autopax around, and he refused to assist in devising a mechanism to ensure that workers at Autopax were paid their outstanding salaries.
Political Analyst and Wits School of Governance lecturer Sandile Swana shares his perspective on Matthews’ precautionary suspension:
