Question NW1457 to the Minister of Transport
30 May 2018 - NW1457
Hunsinger, Mr CH to ask the Minister of Transport
With reference to the payments made by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (a) in the past three financial years and (b) since 1 April 2018, (i) what payments have been made that were previously stopped, (ii) what are the total amounts that were paid, (iii) what is the name of each company that was paid, (iv) what services and/or goods did each company provide, (v) what are the reasons that each payment has been made retrospectively, (vi) on what date was each payment made, (vii) from which budget line item was each payment made and (viii) what amount was budgeted for in each case?
Reply:
With reference to the payments made by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa
a) (i) Payments were made to the following suppliers:
Mazwe Financial Services (Mazwe); and Kentorton
(ii) Mazwe – R28,978,342-38
Kentorton – R6,080,682-48
(iii) Please refer to (i) above.
(iv) Mazwe - provided loans to PRASA employees. The outstanding loans paid were for deceased employees and employees that had left the employment of PRASA.
Kentorton – the invoice period had prescribed, and it was not clear what work the supplier had done.
(v) Mazwe - The Officials that approved the payment (CFO and Senior Manager) at the time are no longer in the employ of PRASA, however, they advised that the reason the payment was made was due to pressure exerted on the finance department by a member of the Board. PRASA is in the process of recovering the money paid through a litigation process.
Kentorton – payment was made on instruction of the then CFO.
(vi) Mazwe - 11 November 2014
Kentorton – 31 March 2016
(vii) Both amounts were not budgeted for.
(viii) Please refer to (vii) above.
b) Since 1 April 2018, no payment has been made in this regard.