Question NW2760 to the Minister of Transport
28 September 2017 - NW2760
Steenkamp, Ms J to ask the Minister of Transport
Who will be responsible for signing off and ratifying the 2016-17 financial statements of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa after the dissolution of the board in March 2017?
Reply:
The Term of office of the board of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) came to an end on the 31 July 2017.
Section 49 (2)(b) of the Public Finance Management Act No.1 of 1999 (PFMA) provides that
If the public entity-
(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.
The legal succession to South African Transport Service Act no 9 of 1989, is silent on this matter. In terms of the above-mentioned section (49 (2)(b) of the PFMA) the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer assumes the role of the Accounting Authority and will therefore sign off the Financial Statements as duly authorized by the PFMA.