Axed Prasa CEO Zolani Matthews treated workers with ‘total disdain’, says Numsa

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has welcomed the dismissal of Zolani Matthews as the group CEO of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa). 

The parastatal’s board axed Matthews on Thursday with immediate effect following an investigation into his failure to disclose information about his dual UK citizenship. Matthews was appointed CEO of Prasa in February this year.

Numsa on Friday said it was vindicated by Matthews’ dismissal because they had always been of the view that he was not the right person to lead the beleaguered state-owned entity.

ALSO READ: Prasa fires CEO Zolani Matthews over non-disclosure of UK citizenship

The union’s general secretary Irvin Jim accused Matthews of refusing to work with labour to find a permanent solution to the crisis facing workers at Prasa’s subsidiary, Autopax, which has been struggling to pay staff salaries on time.

“He treated employees with total disdain and he did not make any effort to address the crisis of rampant mismanagement at Autopax.

“He had no plans to turn Autopax around, and he refused to assist in devising a mechanism to ensure that workers at Autopax were paid their outstanding salaries,” Jim said in a statement.

Jim said workers at Autopax were often subjected to delays in their salary payments because Autopax was being mismanaged.

He said there were delays in the payment of salaries for October and September, but since Matthews’ suspension last month, workers were paid their outstanding salaries last week and were expecting bonuses that would be paid by next week.

Numsa credited Prasa group chief information officer David Mphelo, who has been appointed acting CEO, for the payment of the outstanding salaries.

“Our members are vindicated, they fought to have Zolani Matthews removed and they have succeeded. Mr Matthews dismissal is a victory for workers at Autopax who have suffered unnecessarily because of him.”

Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe

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