By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has slammed reports that there was a crisis at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).
A recent report says the country’s railway system is teetering on the verge of total collapse as a result of the daily theft of kilometres of electric cable, vandals carrying away tracks and signalling equipment, and station buildings being completely demolished.
But Mbalula is more optimistic about the entity’s future than the report by the researchers.
“It is common cause that we inherited a broken organisation in dire straits. Through the Shareholders Compact we concluded with the Board, we seek to address the challenges with speed, in a systematic and focused manner,”the Minister said.
The narrative that seeks to create an impression that there is a crisis at PRASA requires that we set the record straight.
Mbalula said most of the corridors that were shut down will be back to full operation in the new year, including the Central line in Cape Town and the Mabopane line in Tshwane.
He says a report by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) implicates about 44 officials in wrongdoing. He said the Prasa board is implementing consequence management in this regard.
The Board is equally giving urgent attention to serious allegations made against one of the executives, while tackling, among others, the challenge of ghost workers through an internal campaign, Operation Ziveze,”the Minister said.
He said he has comfort that the Board has its eye on the ball and is making headway in addressing chronic challenges that have undermined PRASA’s ability to deliver on its mandate in the past.
“Operational decisions relating to appointments, suspensions and termination of contracts of employees are matters that fall within the purview of the Board.
“The established accountability protocols are fully functional, and I am regularly informed when the Board makes significant decisions that are of a strategic nature or impact on policy implementation,”the Minister said.
Mbalula undertook to provide a comprehensive update on progress made at Prasa in the new year, including regarding a national rail policy.
“Our efforts to turn around Prasa will not take us 30 years but will deliver tangible results in the coming year,”said Mbalula.
Mbalula said it was common cause that his office had inherited a broken organisation, which was in dire straits.
“When we came into office in 2019, we set out a process to address the dire state of the entity and implemented various interventions to address institutional and operational challenges at Prasa,” he said.
“That process is firmly on track and significant progress has been made in a number of areas.”
Despite losing its CEO in Zolani Matthews, Mbalula is confident Prasa’s board is making progress with turning the rail agency around.
Mbalula has promised to provide comprehensive updates to the nation in 2022, on the progress made in implementing the Prasa Corporate Plan and the Shareholders Compact.