Durban - There are growing fears that train commuters safety will be jeopardised after Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) terminated the contracts of private security companies that had been "irregularly" appointed.
Train security officers who spoke to the Daily News on condition of anonymity on Tuesday said they had been moved off train duty and were now forced to guard the company’s infrastructure including copper cables as these are now vulnerable to thieves.
“We have been told by our manager at the Hammarsdale Station that checking tickets and maintaining order in trains is no longer a priority, and that we should guard the infrastructure since the absence of the private companies has rendered the facilities vulnerable to thieves. We find this difficult because even many of us are under suspension pending investigation into harassment, nepotism and victimisation within the station and others,” said one officer.
He said the termination of the private security companies was due to alleged lack of value for money.
On Monday, Prasa acting chief executive officer Nkosinathi Sishi reportedly said the terminated contracts had been appointed irregularly by the previous board.
In her report “Derailed”, former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had flagged numerous irregularities in most of the private security companies contracted by the parastatal.
Some of the tenders were awarded improperly at higher rates.
“Now that all these contracts are terminated, there are no measures in place to fill the huge gaps left behind. The main concern on the employer’s side is to curb theft yet commuter security has been a concern for a long time. We shall wait and see how they (Prasa) plans to bring the situation to normal because currently there’s no stability on the security side of things,” said another officer.