Former Prasa group CEO a corruption fighter - Dipuo Peters

13th March 2017 By: News24Wire

Former Prasa group CEO a corruption fighter - Dipuo Peters

Transport Minister Dipuo Peters
Photo by: Duane Daws

Transport Minister Dipuo Peters has placed her confidence in former Prasa acting CEO Collins Letsoalo, but questioned former board chairperson Papo Molefe's claim of being a corruption buster.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, Peters said she had worked with Letsaolo and had confidence in him as a corruption buster, but didn't have the same faith in Molefe.

"When we brought in Letsaolo, there was an agreement with the board and the board felt it was a good move. I cannot vouch for him in a personal matter, but when Mr Letsaolo says he fights corruption, I have worked with him in the department and dealt with many cases."

However, she did not display the same confidence in Molefe, inferring that the investigations which the former board chairperson was claiming as one of his achievements, predated him.

"On Molefe being a corruption buster, it is important that we take note that there has been investigations that even predates this former board that continued under them as revealed on report by Public Protector."

Molefe filed an urgent application to the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg to have the decision to dissolve the board of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa by Peters set aside during the weekend.

Molefe, along with the other fired directors of Prasa, has approached the court to review or declare the board's dissolution unlawful, reinstate them to their former positions, and prevent an interim board from being appointed.

In it, Molefe said investigation into Prasa has, to date, uncovered the true extent of fruitless, wasteful and irregular expenditure at Prasa totalling at least approximately R14bn.