Interim PRASA Board must confirm all investigations will go ahead

13 March 2017

The DA will seek confirmation from the newly appointed Interim PRASA board that all investigations currently under way, including the investigation into over a billion rand in irregular payments in the current financial year, will continue.

Of concern is the fact that Transport Minister, Dipou Peters, has seen fit to appoint Nazir Alli, the man who spent billions of taxpayers’ money on e-tolls in Gauteng, as the interim Chairperson of the board.

Two other members, CEO of the South African Local Government Association, Xolile George, and former General-Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, Frans Baleni, seem to be firmly aligned with President Jacob Zuma.

Equally questionable is the appointment of Peters’ former spokesperson, Tiyani Rikhotso.

Last week, Peters dissolved the Board which the DA held to be too little, too late given the prolonged crisis at the entity and speculation is rife that Peters only did this to avoid accountability for allowing the entity to be mismanaged.

The announcement of the dissolution of the board came at the same time that the Portfolio Committee on Transport decided to launch an inquiry into the gross mismanagement at PRASA.

The DA fully supports this inquiry and will also get clarity on the terms of this inquiry as well as when we can expect it to start in tomorrow’s Portfolio Committee meeting.

It is vital that the current investigations under way into the gross mismanagement of PRASA continue so that any findings can be implemented to ensure the efficient running of the entity.

The DA will continue to push for full accountability of those found to have wasted public funds.

Issued by Manny de Freitas, DA Shadow Minister of Transport, 13 March 2017