Nazir Alli appointed interim Prasa board chair
The Minister of Transport Dipou Peters has announced an interim Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) board, which included former Sanral CEO, Nazir Alli, as chairperson.
Peters dissolved the Prasa board, led by Popo Molefe last week.
"An advertisement calling for nominations for the new board was published in newspapers and has been closed. I have taken the decision to appoint an interim board that will oversee the affairs of the entity until a new board is appointed," Peters says.
Frans Baleni, Ronnie Mkwanazi Tiane Rikhotso, Dr Natalie Skeepers and a National Treasury representative will also sit on the interim board.
Peters says the former board failed to fulfill its duties.
"The board was found wanting, there was decline in performance, lack of good governance, lack of financial prudence and deterioration of public confidence due to infighting. I have on numerous occasions directed the board to focus on service delivery and the core mandate of the company with no avail. My instructions were not followed and they board focused on side issues," she says.
She says at the center of this matter was the public spats between the board and the former CEO Collins Letsoalo.
"Despite my persistent plea to both board and the CEO not to further the instability at Prasa, their public spats continued unabated. This unwarranted behaviour on both sides contributed to the breakdown of the relationship between the two. It became unavoidable that we recall the acting CEO for the good of the company. This should not be confused for an indication of wrongdoing by Letsoalo," Peters says.
Meanwhile, Molefe confirmed he will be challenging Peter's decision to dismiss the board in court. Read it here: http://bit.ly/2mBWX3E