Prasa investigation: Whistle-blowers could be in potential danger

With the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) expanded proclamation on the financially ruined state-owned Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) gaining momentum, experts are expressing concern about the safety of whistle-blowers, whose commitment to uproot corrupt activities has been treated with disdain by the executive.

Whistle-blowers

Those who have blown the whistle on the large-scale graft that threatened to sink Prasa coffers into extinction and faced disciplinary cases for speaking out include: -Martha Ngoye, former head of legal risk and compliance, who led the charge against the company for delivering locomotives that were too tall for the country’s rail infrastructure;

-Tiro Holele, general manager for strategy, who joined Ngoye in testifying at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture about Swifambo – a front company for Spain-based Vossloh Espana, which owed Transnet R2.5 billion of the R3 billion contract that was set aside by a court; and

-Fani Dingiswayo, former legal executive, remembered for his fiery 12-page letter of resignation in which he accused the agency’s former and current leadership of paying lip service to the fight against corruption and contributing to Prasa’s destruction.

While Prasa spokesperson Andiswa Makanda said commenting on the SIU proclamation was “a matter for government”, she said the state-owned entity would cooperate with any fresh probe into corruption at the agency.

ALSO READ: ‘I feel betrayed by my country’ – Prasa whistleblower Martha Ngoye

Corruption will be dealt with

Makanda referred to the Prasa board reiterating last year that “corruption will not be left unattended”. The letter said the board seconded the SIU to probe ghost workers, the defrauding of insurance companies, lifestyle audits, the bid evaluation committee and the bid adjudication committee’s tender mismanagement.

The letter followed the Prasa board receiving “unpleasant reports of deliberate attempts to sabotage the awarding of critical tenders, which will unlock modernisation and alleviate unemployment and poverty”.

University of Stellenbosch sustainable development professor Mark Swilling said: “For years, effective leadership decapitation has resulted from inappropriate appointments at board and CEO [chief executive] level at Prasa.

“Whistle-blowers have emerged and not been respected. As a result, we have an accumulation of multiple corrupt networks overlapping with each other, with very little action taken against any of the key players. Political and strategic miscalculations have worsened other problems.

“This has led to the infrastructure being stripped – something that will cost billions to restore. It will take at least five years to bring Prasa to its former glory – depending heavily on attracting some of the skills that were lost, as well as strategic leadership that refuses to collude with corrupt practices.”

Protection

Corruption Watch executive director Karam Singh added: “We have noted with concern the treatment of some of the whistle-blowers in the Prasa case in the sense that they have been targeted to continue to be subjected to treatment that a whistle-blower does not deserve.

We would like the whistle-blowers to receive protection and for the Prasa board to step back and allow the SIU to do its work.”

Independent political analyst Sandile Swana said rail services in South Africa were a shadow of what they used to be.

“In the 1980s, passenger trains and buses were best for travelling, but now have been crippled by organised crime and the so-called comrades working with corrupt business people to milk Prasa on a daily basis.”

READ MORE: SIU seconded to Prasa to probe corruption, ghost workers

– brians@citizen.co.za