It will be a week of high drama at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), in which the future of senior executives and politicians could be in the balance.
While the below four reasons are worrying signs for the agency, there should be no disruption to any routes and business will continue as usual, PRASA spokesperson and Group Chief Strategy Officer Sipho Sithole told Fin24 on Monday.
1. CEO vs chairperson showdown
There is the possible showdown with freshly fired CEO Lucky Montana and his former chairperson, Popo Molefe: Senior government sources anonymously told City Press on Sunday that Montana could be reinstated and Molefe shown the door.
Sithole said PRASA was “not aware of this”.
2. Inquiry into suspended head engineer
There is the suspension and inquiry into head engineer Daniel Mthimkhulu, who allegedly lied about his qualifications: That process should be finalised this week or possibly next week.
Sithole said an investigation confirmed that Mthimkhulu “does not possess those qualifications. So he has admitted that he does not possess those qualifications".
"He does not have a Phd, he does not have a BSc, he registered at Vaal Tech for a BTech, but he did not finish his programme. So he has no qualification in that regard.
“The hearing will definitely take place either on Thursday, latest on Friday,” he said. “A fair process must continue, calling of witnesses and everything and once the presiding officer is done, they will make their findings (which could be made public on the same day, latest on Monday).”
3. Release of Public Protector’s report
There is Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report on an investigation into allegations of maladministration relating to financial mismanagement, tender irregularities and appointment irregularities against PRASA: That will be released this Thursday.
Sithole said the board will make a pronouncement on the findings after it has seen the report. “I’m sure on Thursday the board will issue a statement,” he said.
4. Train height saga
Then there are the allegations made by senior engineers at PRASA that 13 Afro 4000 diesel locomotives worth R600-million that have been delivered exceed the height restrictions for diesel locomotives on the long distance lines: Will this be dealt with in Madonsela’s report? Only time will tell. If not, the public will only likely hear back from PRASA in September, when their tests into the trains are complete.
Sithole said PRASA’s view was still the same that the “locomotives are currently perfect”. “(Until the tests are complete), there is no one that can say all the allegations (are true) that have been said up until now,” he said. “By September, the safety rail regulator would announce the outcome of the results.”