DA to file a Public Protector complaint against PRASA ex-CEO Montana

30 April 2018

The DA will write to the Public Protector, Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane, to investigate former PRASA boss Lucky Montana’s alleged involvement in the dodgy contracts worth R4 billion in which a controversial Pretoria-based tender mogul partly funded a R13.5 million property owned by Montana in order to do business with the entity.

The DA has previously filed criminal charges against Deputy Minister of Finance, Sfiso Buthelezi, the former chair of the PRASA board, and Montana relating to findings contained in the “leaked version” of forensic reports commissioned by National Treasury into 193 contracts at PRASA between 2012 and 2016.

The DA overwhelmingly agrees with media reports that: “This is the clearest indication to date that Montana may have scored suspicious benefits worth millions of rand linked to contracts of R4bn awarded by Prasa to Siyangena Technologies, a subsidiary of Ferriera’s TM Holdings group.”

DA urges Adv. Mkhwebane to thoroughly investigate these allegations and provide South Africans with answers of who else should be held accountable for the gross abuse of taxpayer funds.

The reality is that millions of rands allocated to the embattled entity are being siphoned off by ANC cadres and compromised individuals such as Montana. The DA will not sit back while officials continue to loot our public purse.

Montana is the same individual who oversaw a complete leadership crisis at Prasa, and the trickle down effects have been most felt by ordinary South Africans on the receiving end of the rail safety breakdown.

It is patently clear that Montana had something to hide when he lamented and denied everything in a weak attempt to garner public sympathy during his submissions in Parliament.

Under Montana, Prasa and the Ministry of Transport sat on the 2015 Public Protector’s “Derailed” report, which details 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.

Montana must account for all these allegations of corruption and the DA will continue mounting pressure on him despite his claims in the media that he is being racially targeted. His trivial claims will not absolve him from accounting for corruption that took place under his watch.

The DA would have failed in its oversight role by letting Montana off the hook.

The DA hopes that Adv. Mkhwebane will do her job without fear or favour and ensure that, if Montana indeed had an active role in all of these allegations of corruption, he is brought to book and that every cent stolen from public coffers is recovered.

Issued by Manny de Freitas, DA Shadow Minister of Transport, 30 April 2018