Press Statement dated 16 April 2018
The United National Transport Union (UNTU) is shocked that the new Minister of Transport, Dr Blade Nzimande, decided to once again replace the board of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and its chief executive officer without consulting with Organised Labour first.
UNTU requested a meeting with Minister Nzimande just after his appointment on 28 February 2018, stating that the Union welcomes his intentions to leave no stone unturned to stabilise PRASA.
UNTU wanted to discuss the interference of the Board in PRASA’s daily operations, the appointment of a permanent board and the appointment of a permanent chief executive officer, amongst others, with the Minister.
On 9 March 2018 the office of the Minister informed UNTU that the Union’s request was receiving the necessary attention, but the Union has not heard from the Minister since.
Instead the Minister went ahead and announced a new board that on their turn made changes to the leadership of PRASA without first hearing UNTU out.
“It is bizarre for any company to change its board and its chief executive officer for the fourth time in less than two years while dealing with its third Minister. The South African public wants to know why passenger rail in this country has deteriorated to this crippled state on the brink of total collapse. This is why.
“Over the past two years Prasa has had no consistency, lasting leadership or stabilisation. Nobody knows who is the boss from this day to the next as Government seems insistent on playing a game of Ring a Ring a Roses with this state-owned enterprise,” says Steve Harris, General Secretary of UNTU.
UNTU has always been of the view that Prasa and Transnet, who used to be one state-owned enterprise years ago, needs to account to the same minister. They can both achieve more if they take hands to strengthen each other and combat the constant vandalism of the railway infrastructure by organised international crime syndicates.
According to Harris the same request for a meeting was sent to Minister Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Public Enterprises responsible for Transnet. The Minister responded in person saying he welcomes UNTU’s request and will meet with the Union soon. His office has been in contact with UNTU since.
“UNTU is now more than ever of the view that it makes no sense to keep Transnet and PRASA under separate Ministers as it is only to the detriment of both. PRASA could be moved to the Minister of Public Enterprises where other enterprises like Denel, Eskom, SAA and Transnet accounts to,” says Harris.
Issued on behalf of United National Transport Union (UNTU) by Sonja Carstens, Media and Liaison Officer