POLITICS

Daniel Mtimkulu should pay back fraudulent earnings - Manny de Freitas

DA MP says colossal waste of taxpayers’ money to fund under-qualified individuals a crime against the South African people

Prasa’s Mtimkulu owes back every cent he earned fraudulently

27 July 2015

It is greatly regrettable that Daniel Mtimkulu, the former Head of Engineering Services at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has resigned before his suspension and the investigation into his qualifications could be put into effect.

However, the DA is pleased with the swift action taken by the Prasa board to lay criminal charges against Mtimkulu to have the matter criminally investigated. The colossal waste of taxpayers’ money to fund under-qualified individuals is a crime against the South African people. 

The DA will therefore be writing to Prasa’s Board Chairperson, Popo Molefe, to request that Mr Mtimkulu be made to pay back all monies he accrued over four years in his capacity as Head of Engineering – a job for which he was entirely underqualified – making his earnings fraudulent.

It is only fair for that these monies be paid back to Prasa. Mtimkulu oversaw a R600 million train acquisition contract that has procured trains which don’t fit on South Africa’s tracks, and left the contract open to the mercy of exchange rates.

Mtimkulu has cost South Africa greatly.

Mr Mtimkulu claimed to have obtained an engineering degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, before studying in Germany to get his doctorate. As yet Wits has not been able to find any record of Mr Mtimkulu studying at the University.

Indeed, this begs further questions as to what Human Resource processes were followed at Prasa to properly vet candidates before employing them in senior positions. 

Should our calls fall on deaf ears, the DA will request the Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters to bring the board of Prasa to order, and to recoup all monies paid to Mtimkulu. 

The DA believes in a public service that is occupied and run by those with the skills and experience to do so and the people of South Africa require and deserve an efficient passenger rail agency. 

Statement issued by Manny de Freitas MP, DA Shadow Minister of Transport July 27 2015