State-owned Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) on Monday confirmed it had received an official resignation letter from its rail division’s former head of engineering services Daniel Mtimkulu.

This followed Mtimkulu’s being charged with gross dishonesty and fraudulent misrepresentation, with PRASA alleging that he had failed to produce engineering and PhD qualifications, which he claimed to possess.

As part of PRASA’s governance protocols, a criminal case of fraud was opened against him on July 24, citing the misrepresentation of his qualifications.

The agency earlier this month suspended Mtimkulu following an internal enquiry instituted by PRASA Rail CEO Mosenngwa Mofi into his academic qualifications.

Mtimkulu had been extensively involved in the procurement of 70 Afro 4000 locomotives, 13 of which were currently being tested on the country’s rail network after reportedly being too tall for existing diesel locomotive tracks.

His suspension followed a day after PRASA’s board announced that former CEO Lucky Montana had left the organisation, five months prior to his contract coming to an end.