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Collins Letsoalo, the Acting CEO of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), who was supposed to use his so called “Mr. Fix-It” skills to get the derailed passenger railway service back on track, must be fired with immediate effect.

The Sunday Times revealed this morning that the arrogant Letsoalo who has since his appointment almost nine months ago, refused to meet with the leadership of the United National Transport Union (UNTU), the majority union in PRASA, gave himself a 350% salary increase, says Steve Harris, General Secretary of UNTU.

Although Letsoalo took the time to explain to Parliament how PRASA bled R13,9 billion thanks to mismanagement and irregular contracts under its former CEO, Lucky Montana, he still went about and demanded the same R5,9 million salary package his predecessor used to receive. But this youngster had to go a step further – Letsoalo also got a chauffeur-driven car and a company cell phone with unlimited calls.

“To add more injury to this shocking injustice Letsoalo went ahead to safeguard his own pocket while his employees, especially those on the notorious Central Line between Cape Town and Langa in the Western Cape, are being killed, assaulted and robbed by armed thugs daily.

“Whilst Letsoalo where being safety transported by his chauffeur, Nomveliso Brookwe (30), one of his female train drivers who were escorted by seven unarmed train guards, feared of being raped on 4 January 2017 when one of three armed robbers who overpowered them between the Khayelitsha and the Nonkqubela Station, tried to drag her into a bush,” says Harris.

Whilst similar attacks on PRASA employees frequently occur on railway lines across the country, the incompetent Transport Minister Dipuo Peters and the Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa remains silent in spite of UNTU repeatedly calling both to action by either sending in the South African Defence Force to stabilize the war on railway line, re-establishing the dedicated South African Railway Police Service since railway conditions have rapidly deteriorated since it was demolished or even placing the state owned company under the administration of the courts. All these demands from UNTU fell on deaf ears.

To make matters even worst Letsoalo, the mandate giver in the PRASA wage negotiations, is only prepared to offer his employees a 3% salary increase as of 1 April 2017. UNTU demands 20% because amongst other thanks to Letsoalo sending spree, PRASA alleges that it does not have money to comply with the terms of a collective agreement it signed with unions more than a year ago. The 19 outstanding disputes amounts to thousands of rands per month each struggling PRASA employee does not have in his or her pocket.

“Today is the saddest day in our democratic dispensation. This country has thought for the financial freedom for all, not only an exclusive few like Letsoalo. But now the Powers at be are allowing this shocking abuse of taxpayer’s money to continue while PRASA employees on ground level have huge challenges to continue delivering a service to hard working commuters also trying to make a living.

“Unfortunately, if Government does not act, UNTU ‘s membership in PRASA will have no other option than to bring PRASA services to a halt with a national protected strike to see justice to be done. The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has already issued UNTU with a strike certificate and the union can give PRASA 48 hours’ notice if we decide to mobilise our members,” says Harris.

Issued by UNTU