Treasury Man Takes Over Embattled PRASA After Court Order

The Passenger Railways Association of South Africa, clawing its way back from years of mismanagement and corruption, has a new man in charge after a court order last week ruled that the appointment of an administrator in December last year was unlawful.

“We are pleased that the National Treasury has appointed Mr Badisa Matshego as the Accounting Authority of PRASA in compliance with the court order,” the minister Fikile Mbabla said today. Matshego is a Group Executive responsible for Infrastructure and Asset Management at the Airports Company South Africa.

On 25 August, the Western Cape High Court sided with Unite Beyond, a transport group that had challenged the appointment of Bongisizwe Mpondo as PRASA’s accounting authority last year. While the court agreed that PRASA was in a mess and needed urgent attention, it said Mpondo’s appointment was unlawful and gave the minister seven days to have the National Treasury appoint a replacement.

It said he had also repeatedly neglected to appoint a board, and was given 60 days to do so.

Mbalula said he wanted to commend and thank Mpnodo for the work he had done. “He has made significant progress in addressing critical challenges and sourcing requisite skills at management level.” (SAPeople interviewed Mpondo several weeks ago.)