By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has terminated the contract of Zolani Matthews with immediate effect, it said in a statement on Thursday night.
The announcement comes on the heels of a protracted battle between Matthews and the rail agency over his dismissal and subsequent bids for reinstatement.
Last month, the Labour Court ordered that Matthews be reinstated as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the rail agency.
Board chair Nosizwe Nokwe-Macamo said Matthews’ termination was in line with his contract and in the interest of Prasa and all rail passengers. The rail agency remained focused on reopening all rail corridors and refurbishing more stations.
“Prasa has made significant progress in getting the passenger rail service back on track, with 31 of the 40 rail corridors opened and functioning at limited capacity. The board cannot afford to be distracted from delivering on Prasa’s core mandate of transporting commuters safely and cost-effectively,” Nokwe-Macamo said.
Matthews was fired by Prasa in 2021 for holding dual citizenship, which the entity at the time said was a material breach that he did not disclose because the dual South African/UK citizenship prevented him from obtaining security clearance.
Nokwe-Macamo said the board had intended to reach an amicable agreement with Matthews.
“In compliance with the labour court judgment of 1 July 2024, Prasa reinstated Matthews and paid him the backdated remuneration as contemplated in the ruling. Prasa had engaged with Matthews and his legal team to discuss the implications of the judgment and to find a settlement. However, given that the attempts to reach an agreement have failed, a settlement is no longer an option, “Nokwe-Macamo said.
She said Prasa was well on its way to recover the rail service in South Africa. “Prasa is steadily improving its performance through the recovery of passenger rail services, improved safety and security, the acceleration of project implementation through the capital programmes and modernisation projects, as well as enhancing revenue, containing costs, and dealing with governance.
“We would like to reassure our passengers and stakeholders that Prasa is firmly focused on delivering on the expectations of our shareholder, the government of South Africa, and the public.
Last month, Matthews demanded more than R14m in remuneration and benefits for the period that he was unlawfully dismissed.