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Johannesburg – Here are the 13 complaints against Prasa which Public Protector Thuli Madonsela investigated, and where she found were either unsubstantiated, or lacked sufficient evidence to make a finding.
READ: Remedial action to get Prasa back on tracks - As it happened
One was partially substantiated. She investigated a total of 32 complaints.
1. Former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana allegedly took a Blue Train trip to Cape Town, accompanied by 10 "female companions" and flew back on an SAA flight. The trip cost a total of R170 000. The evidence was inconclusive and would be the subject of a second report.
2. Prasa allegedly failed to investigate the theft of buses from its Autopax subsidiary. Madonsela found one worker was suspended, another fired, and cases were opened with the police.
3. Madonsela found Prasa did not act improperly in ending a contract with Rasakanya Builders.
4. Montana allegedly paid R80m for a Fifa World Cup sponsorship without approval. The complaint could not be substantiated.
5. Prasa allegedly failed to spend a R500m subsidy for its Shosholoza Meyl subsidiary in 2009/10. The complaint could not be substantiated.
6. Prasa board chairperson Sfiso Buthelezi allegedly failed to disclose a conflict of interest. He had a stake in the subsidiary of a company advising Prasa on its rolling stock programme. The evidence was inconclusive and the matter would be subject of a second report.
7. Prasa board member Bridgette Gasa allegedly failed to disclose a conflict of interest. This could not be substantiated.
8. Prasa allegedly appointed Shiela Boshielo, wife of board member Bushy Boshielo, as general manager of Autopax. Madonsela could not make a finding as Prasa failed to provide the relevant documents.
9. Prasa allegedly replaced its human resources executive with Montana’s uncle, Mphefo Ramutloa, without proper processes being followed. No evidence could be found that Ramutloa was Montana’s uncle.
10. Prasa allegedly failed to act against workers who fraudulently made transfers totalling R8.1m out if its accounts. This could only be partially substantiated. Montana failed to act against five of the workers involved, which constituted maladministration and improper conduct.
11. Montana allegedly improperly awarded a contract for advisory services to a friend, Makhensa Mabunda, of the company Siyaya DB. No evidence could be found that they were friends and that this affected Siyaya DB’s appointment.
12. Montana allegedly improperly awarded a tender to the Umjanji consortium, for media and advertising services. Madonsela deferred making findings as some tender documents had not been submitted. She however found the consortium did not exist when the tender was closed.
13. Prasa allegedly improperly appointed and paid Royal Security R2.8m. This could not be substantiated.
