An example must be made of ‘Dr Tall Trains’ Mthimkhulu

It is comforting to hear that the department of transport is going after “Doctor Tall Trains”, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (Prasa) former chief engineer, for money he owes because of his misrepresentations about his qualifications.

Daniel Mthimkhulu claimed he had a doctorate, when he didn’t, and forged a letter from a German engineering company offering him a job, in order to get Prasa to increase his salary package.

Prasa has won a court order against Mthimkhulu that he pay back R5.7 million he earned illegally.

But that is only the half of it and we hope Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula is industrious about pursuing compensation, or criminal charges, against Mthimkhulu for his role in buying billions of rands worth of locomotives from Spain; engines which were too tall to be used on the majority of South Africa’s rail network.

That contract has been cancelled and the locomotives are up for auction.

But in the end, the country – read taxpayers – will have suffered another multibillion-rand loss.

And that is what Mthimkhulu should be held accountable for.

The government must send a message that this sort of potentially ruinous conduct will not be tolerated.

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