DA lays charges against Sifiso Buthelelezi and Lucky Montana over alleged corruption at PRASA

7 December 2017

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has today filed criminal charges at the Cape Town Police station against Deputy Minister of Finance, Sfiso Buthelezi, the former chair of the PRASA board and former PRASA CEO Lucky Montana.

This relates to findings contained in the “leaked version” of forensic reports commissioned by National Treasury into 193 contracts PRASA into between 2012 and 2016.

The findings, read together with 2015 Public Protector’s “Derailed” report, detail instances of possible offences in terms of the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act (PACCA), Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and Supply Chain Management Rules.

In view of the overwhelming evidence revealed in the Treasury reports, Buthelezi and Montana need to account for corruption that took place under their watch. South Africans need urgent answers on why no one has been held accountable when there is clear evidence of gross abuse of taxpayer funds.

It is unfair that millions of people are made to endure shockingly bad service from Metrorail while the Minister and PRASA dodge accountability.

Our law enforcement agencies cannot afford to continue turning a blind eye to mounting evidence of corruption by the then PRASA board and executives.

The DA will monitor the SAPS investigation to ensure that those responsible for stealing from the public purse are held accountable.

Issued by Manny de Freitas, DA Shadow Minister of Transport, 7 December 2017