‘Grand scam’: Prasa was paying 3,000 ghost workers full salaries, says Mbalula

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula on Tuesday told Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) that the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has been scammed by 3,000 ghost workers.

Mbalula said Prasa, in December, became aware that it was paying full salaries to the ghost workers. The rail agency has since stopped the salary payments.

Since then, according to the minister, nobody at Prasa has come forward to complain that they didn’t receive their salary.

“Somebody has created a scam to steal money from the organisation. That’s how broken Prasa is. … in a normal company, you can’t even afford to have one ghost worker, and we have 3,000,” said Mabalula.

Mbalula called the 3,000 ghost workers a “grand scam” and said it was uncovered during the Operation Ziveze campaign which was implemented to uncover irregularities at the state-owned entity.

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The transport minister said his department is determined to get Prasa moving in the right direction.

“We remain seized with the arduous task of getting Prasa back on track, following years of sub-par performance, failure to spend on its capital programmes and corruption.  Our eye remains on the ball, and we continue to hold the Board accountable for delivery on the targets.”

Mbalula also said progress is being made in terms of filling key vacancies within Prasa. A number of critical positions are currently occupied by acting incumbents. 

Among the vacant positions that need to be filled are a Group CEO, a Chief Human Capital Officer, the Chief Procurement Officer and the Prasa Rail CEO.

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