Durban - Nepotism and abuse of resources were rife at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) in KwaZulu-Natal, the agency has been told.
And, managers implicated by agency staff in Durban have been instructed by acting chief executive, Collen Letsoalo, to make representations.
Letsoalo confirmed to the Daily News that staff had briefed him at a mass meeting at Durban station late last week, complaining that relations between employees and managers were in some cases poor or non-existent.
He said claims were made that some senior officials were abusing the agency’s supply chain management for their personal benefit.
Also aired were allegations of corruption and victimisation of junior employees by managers.
“On Friday he visited us and we voiced our concerns about the working conditions and abusive treatment by some of the managers,” said a source.
“Here if you talk back or you question a manager’s actions, you are an enemy. There’s a lot of wrongdoing but there’s no one to keep the transgressors on the straight and narrow,” the source said.
Another source said: “Working conditions are not conducive here. We gave Mr Letsoalo as much as we could, but given that he is acting chief executive, we don’t know whether we are wasting our time. We have gone through tough times working with these managers and this has to stop.”
Disturbed
Letsoalo said he was disturbed by the claims levelled against certain managers.
“I picked up that employer-employee relations are weak and in some cases non-existent. Nepotism is rife and there is bad treatment of junior employees. Some managers are abusing their power, and they abuse the supply chain management. I received all these complaints and I intend bringing stability in KZN.”
He said he would not tolerate individuals who abuse employees or Prasa resources for their own benefit.
“I have given employees my contact number to call me direct if they feel threatened or in case of emergency,” he said.
He would not comment in detail on the allegations because investigations were in progress.
Hawks spokesman, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, confirmed a police investigation into allegations of tender fraud and corruption at Prasa nationally was under way and was not expected to be finalised before next year.
The charges were registered by the DA in August last year after Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s findings in her report, “Derailed”.
Her investigation looked into complaints against the rail agency’s sacked chief executive, Lucky Montana, and others in top positions at the parastatal.
Madonsela’s report found impropriety involving tenders amounting to R2.8 billion.
“I can confirm that it is a very time-consuming investigation. There are various tender contracts involved which will require forensic audits and analysis,” Mulaudzi said.
Steve Harris, the general secretary of the United National Transport Union, said: “We are waiting for Transport Minister, Dipuo Peters, to respond to our letter sent to her office last week requesting a meeting with her to discuss the KZN issue and others.”
Daily News