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This week the Parliamentary Transport Portfolio Committee met the PRASA (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa) Board and executives to consider their annual report. During my intervention I challenged the PRASA Board and its leadership to get out of their comfortable air-conditioned offices and actually take trains as I have in the last few months. I challenged them to experience for themselves the filthy and unsafe train stations, to experience the insecurity and vulnerability when on trains and to experience the daily horror that millions of commuters encounter on a daily basis.
 
In response to my comments the chairperson of the board expressed how she and her colleagues felt insulted by my comments and that I should apologise. The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee insisted that I withdraw this comment and apologise to the Board. This I did but challenged the Board and leadership of PRASA to in-turn apologise to the millions of commuters that experience the unacceptable and horrific service provided by PRASA.
 
No one from the Board, or any of the top management, refused to provide such an apology. I find this attitude shocking considering that they are doing little to improve the rail system in South Africa. In turn it is the poor that suffer the most. All this has a direct negative impact on our economy and jobs!
 
All this is staring the PRASA board in the face yet they sit on their hands and refuse to apologise to South Africa! Shame on you!

Manny de Freitas MP
Shadow Minister of Transport
Democratic Alliance