Question NW2528 to the Minister of Transport
07 September 2017 - NW2528
Brauteseth, Mr TJ to ask the Minister of Transport
(1)(a) Why have vacancies in the Board of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa not been filled and (b) by what date will these positions be filled; (2) whether he has found that board will be able to fulfil its mandate while it has vacancies on the board; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
(1)(a) An advert calling for nomination of persons to serve on the Board of the Agency was published in the Sunday Newspaper of the 05 February 2017. Members of the public responded positively and a number of nominations were received.
(b) The Department is currently busy with the shortlisting process and will make appointment in due course.
(2) The term of the Board lapsed on the 31 July 2017 and at the time there were five (5) remaining Board members. The Acting Chief Executive Officer of PRASA, Mr Lindikhaya Zide in terms of Section 49 (2)(b) has assumed the responsibility of the Accounting Authority of the Agency as an interim measure till the recruitment process of the new Board of Control has been finalized.
Section 49 (2)(b) of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No. 1 of 1999), provides that:
(1) Every Public Entity must have an Authority, which must be accountable for the purpose of this Act.
(2) If the Public Entity;
a) has a Board or other controlling body, that Board or controlling body is the Accounting Authority for that Entity; or
b) does not have a controlling body, the Chief Executive Officer or the other person in charge of the Public Entity is the Accounting Authority for that Public Entity unless specific legislation applicable to that Public Entity designates another person as the Accounting Authority”.