The United National Transport Union (UNTU) welcomes the confirmation by the Hawks that they are investigating 40 criminal charges related to alleged corruption at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) during the reign of Lucky Montana, its former Chief Executive Officer.

Popo Molefe, chairman of the PRASA board, had to inform Parliament that these charges exclude the parastatals civil claim in the North Gauteng High Court about the Afro-400 diesel locomotive that was brought on a tender for R600 million from Spain.

Molefe told Parliament that a number of PRASA employees and managers had since “ran away” since disciplinary steps have been taken. He had to inform Parliament on PRASA’s budget so far for the 2016/2017 financial year.

Steve Harris, General Secretary of UNTU, says he needs to compliment Molefe at his persistence in trying his utmost best to get the derailed passenger railway operator back on track to the benefit of all South African who are depended on passenger trains to get to work.

“UNTU would like to see the rest of the PRASA management corps led by acting CEO Collins Letsoalo to follow his lead. Currently its seems like Molefe is the last man standing,” says Harris.

Issued by UNTU