Johannesburg - Former Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) head of engineering services Daniel Mtimkulu appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on a charge of fraud and uttering relating to his qualification, the National Prosecuting Authority in Gauteng said.
He was released on R20 000 bail and has to return to court on August 25, NPA Gauteng spokesperson Phindi Louw told News24.
Mtimkulu’s qualifications woes followed a report in Rapport newspaper that new trains ordered by Prasa from Spain were too high for South African rail infrastructure.
He has since resigned from Prasa.
Before his resignation, Mtimkulu was to have faced a disciplinary hearing relating to gross dishonesty and fraudulent misrepresentation of his academic qualifications. But Prasa was determined to pursue criminal charges against him.
Mtimkulu was suspended with immediate effect on July 17, following reports that he was not officially registered with the profession’s statutory body.
The Engineering Council of SA (Ecsa) was said to have rejected Mtimkulu’s application to register with it in 2006.
Pretoria News