Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) achieved only 45% of its target set out in the 2015-’16 annual performance plan.
Acting Prasa CEO Collins Letsoalo briefed parliament’s portfolio committee on transport on Tuesday, saying that the agency was facing several challenges, including trains that were not on time, increased crime incidences involving passengers, as well as passenger injuries and fatalities.
Arson attacks in the past year also posed a big challenge and had a negative impact on the availability of train sets.
Altogether 820 of Prasa’s coaches are currently out of service, which accounts for almost half of the fleet, Letsoalo said. “Of these coaches 55% are out of service due to components that are outstanding. When you’re short on components cannibalisation takes place, which means we’re forced to strip components of coaches that need to be serviced. Consequently those components fail.”
Dikaladi Magadzi, chairperson of the portfolio committee on transport, expressed concern about the reports of mismanagement and financial problems at Prasa.
She added that the high number of personnel who was appointed in acting positions was worrisome. “This acting stint at Prasa needs to come to and end,” she said.
More to follow.
Read Fin24's top stories trending on Twitter:
