News24 reports that following its successive reversals in both an arbitration process and the Labour Court, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) has moved to reinstate Zolani Matthews as its CEO.

Prasa's board chairperson has written to lawyers representing Matthews to invite him for a discussion on his resumption of duties at the agency. Early in July, the Labour Court dismissed the rail operator's bid to review and set aside an April 2022 arbitration award that Matthews must be reinstated. Prasa fired Matthews in November 2021, after eight months in the job, for a failure to disclose that he also held UK citizenship and thus could not obtain top security clearance. Matthews had been appointed by former Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, who had also appointed the board, chaired by Leonard Ramatlakane. Matthews, the son and grandson of ANC stalwarts Joe and ZK Matthews, obtained citizenship of the UK while in exile with his family. Prasa had initially extended Matthews' probation period and then tried to fire him, alleging non-performance before settling on the lack of security clearance charge. Matthews had been employed on a five-year, fixed-term contract. Prasa has now resolved to reinstate him. This, however, leaves Prasa with a dilemma as it has employed Hishaam Emeran as CEO since April 2023.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sikonathi Mantshantsha at News24

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