Question NW2275 to the Minister of Transport
10 December 2021 - NW2275
Hunsinger, Mr CH to ask the Minister of Transport
(1)(a) What total number of senior staff members of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has been and/or was suspended since 2019 and (b) on what charges; (2) what total number of the suspended Prasa members (a) have been reinstated, (b) are still suspended and/or (c) had their services terminated; (3) with reference to the specified Prasa members who have been reinstated, are still suspended and/or had their services terminated, at what cost has this taken place in each specified case, including (a) salary and benefits expenses to Prasa and (b) legal costs; (4) with reference to the Prasa members who are still suspended, (a) what is the next expected step and (b) by what date does he envisage will the specified step be implemented?
Reply:
1. (a) The total number of senior staff members of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) that has been and/or was suspended since 2019 and (b) on what charges are listed in the table below:
|
(a) Financial Year |
(b) Charges |
|
2019/20 TOTAL = 17 |
Participating in the irregular appointment of private security providers |
|
Failing breathalyser test when reporting for duty and colluding with competitors. |
|
|
Procurement related irregularities |
|
|
Misconduct:
|
|
|
2020/21 TOTAL = 14 |
Procurement related irregularities |
|
Misconduct:
|
|
|
2021/22 TOTAL = 11 |
Procurement related irregularities |
|
Theft |
|
|
Sexual harassment |
2. The total number of the suspended PRASA members which (a) have been reinstated, (b) are still suspended and/or (c) had their services terminated are listed below:
|
Financial Year |
(a) Reinstated |
(b) Still Suspended |
(c) Service Terminated |
|
2019/20 |
5 |
46 |
18 |
|
2020/21 |
12 |
36 |
30 |
|
2021/22 |
9 |
22 |
14 |
3. With reference to the specified PRASA members who have been reinstated, are still suspended and/or had their services terminated, the cost at which this has taken place in each specified case, including (a) salary and benefits expenses to Prasa and (b) legal costs are listed below:
|
(a) FY2020/21: EMPLOYEE COST TO COMPANY |
|
|
PRASA Corporate |
R5,316,062-92 |
|
AUTOPAX |
R1,228,945-43 |
|
PRASA CRES |
R2,460,022-63 |
|
PRASA Rail |
R13,497,814-55 |
|
PRASA Tech |
R6,951,264-48 |
|
TOTAL |
R29,454,110-01 |
|
(a) FY2021/22: EMPLOYEE COST TO COMPANY |
|
|
PRASA Corporate |
R6,680,079-48 |
|
AUTOPAX |
R492,277-49 |
|
PRASA CRES |
R4,709,643-24 |
|
PRASA Rail |
R3,617,636-63 |
|
PRASA Tech |
R593,538-19 |
|
TOTAL |
R16,093,175-03 |
|
(b) FY2021/22: LEGAL COSTS |
|
|
Internal disciplinary hearings |
R11,024,796-36 |
|
CCMA |
R7,309,533-83 |
|
Labour Court |
R5,766,758-82 |
|
TOTAL |
R24,101,089-01 |
4. With reference to the PRASA members who are still suspended, (a) the next expected step and (b) by which date the specified step is envisaged to be implemented is listed below.
(a)
|
BUSINESS UNIT |
PROGRESS STATUS |
|
PRASA Corporate |
|
|
AUTOPAX |
|
|
PRASA CRES |
|
|
PRASA Rail |
|
|
PRASA Technical |
|
(b) Dates
The matters are all at different stages of either the investigation or the disciplinary process. It is not possible to give an exact date of the next step for each matter, since this is influenced by a number of factors, like the complexity of the matter, the availability of the parties, the stage of the investigation by either internal or external investigators, etc.