Johannesburg
– Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters on Monday announced an interim board for the
ailing Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), ignoring a
legal warning from the former chairman of the dissolved board to refraining from replacing it.
Peters says former National Union of Mineworkers
secretary general, Frans Baleni, former chief executive at Sanral, Nazir Alli,
and former departmental spokesman, Tiyani Rikhotso are some of the members who
will serve in the interim board.
Other members are Ronny Mkhwanazi and Xolile George who
will retain his place on the board as a representative of Salga. Peters says
the national treasury is yet to forward a name for its preferred candidate to
serve on the board.
This comes after Peters dissolved the board on March 8.
Following that, former board chairperson Popo Molefe warned
Transport Minister Dipuo Peters that, if she doesn’t reinstate the board, she
risks being seen as unwilling to fight corruption.
Read also: Molefe to fight Peters over Prasa board
In an urgent application filed in the Pretoria High
Court, Molefe stated that if Peters doesn’t reinstate the board members, “a
perception may and likely will exist that the minister is attempting to prevent
investigations being concluded into corruption”.
He further stated there would also be a perception that
she is punishing the board for removing controversial former acting chief
executive Collins Letsoalo.
The board removed Letsoalo from his position earlier this
month after he had allegedly increased his salary by at least 350 percent to
R5.9 million, the same amount that was earned by former chief executive officer
Lucky Montana.
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