Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi
Newly appointed Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi on Monday said he would not interfere with ongoing court proceedings initiated by the former board of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to have former Transport Minister Dipuo Peters’ decision to dissolve the board set aside.
Former PRASA chairperson Popo Molefe last months filed an application to the High Court in Johannesburg to have the dissolution of the board set aside.
Peters had dissolved the board after they had decided to fire former acting CEO Collins Letsoalo, who had been seconded to the position from the Department of Transport.
“The interim board is still there. I will not be dropping charges or adding any more charges,” said Maswanganyi, adding that the department would respect the outcome of the court.
“PRASA is a very critical entity in government; we have to roll out the rail infrastructure, the coaches, the locomotives, so in between there has to be a governing structure that ensures that the decisions are taken,” he noted.
The Minister further emphasised the importance of stabilsing PRASA, as well as other State-owned entities.