The Democratic Alliances says that Prasa (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa) has paid as much as R37 million in salaries to suspended employees over the past three years.<\/p>\n
This was revealed in a Parliamentary reply by the Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, to questions posted by DA Shadow Minister of Transport, Manny De Freitas.<\/p>\n
“In her replies, the Minister admits that the South Africa taxpayer is essentially funding the salaries of 2,575 suspended Prasa officials who have been suspended on full pay for the last three years,” De Freitas said.<\/p>\n
He said that minister Peters\u2019 replies indicate that the majority of suspended employees are subject to \u201cmisconduct cases\u201d that \u201crequire intense investigations\u201d.<\/p>\n
“One wonders what level of misconduct has been identified to justify such protracted ‘intense investigations’,” De Freitas said.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday it was revealed that Prasa has had to function without a chief financial officer for more than seven months.<\/p>\n
Minister Peters told the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) that she has never seen or met Prasa\u2019s CFO since she was appointed to the position in June 2014.<\/p>\n
Peters attended a Scopa hearing on Prasa\u2019s annual report for the 2014\/15 financial year and suggested that MPs ask Prasa\u2019s acting CEO for details about the financial head\u2019s whereabouts.<\/p>\n
Nathi Khena, who has been acting CEO since former CEO Lucky Montana\u2019s dismissal in June last year, said he has also not seen the financial head since he took over last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe CFO apparently has a medical condition and it impacts her performance,\u201d Khena said. \u201cShe hasn\u2019t been at work for quite a long time. She came back two to three weeks ago, after her request for medical boarding had been declined.\u201d<\/p>\n
“The Minister\u2019s answers show how Prasa is dawdling and taking their time in finalising disciplinary matters,” De Freitas said, adding that Peters\u2019 answers indicate that the reasons for the delays in resolving these matters are due to a \u201cshortage of investigating staff\u201d.<\/p>\n
“Peters says nothing about what is being done to address this shortage, or what the alternative is to bring these matters to a speedy conclusion,” the shadow minister said.<\/p>\n
“Notwithstanding this lack of resolve, what is most concerning is that Peters then sites interference by trade unions as a further excuse for delays in resolving these disciplinary matters,” De Freitas said.<\/p>\n
Prasa finance chief \u2018hasn\u2019t been at work for quite a long time\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Zuma\u2019s friends score R80 million from Prasa dealings: report<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Prasa wants a refund for its R2.65 billion train blunder<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n 10 of Thuli Madonsela\u2019s findings against Prasa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Prasa\u2019s culture of hiding information: report<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n