Peters defends decision to discuss Montana axing with Zuma
Former transport minister Dipuo Peters has defended her decision to discuss the departure of Passenger Rail Agency (Prasa) CEO Lucky Montana with former president Jacob Zuma.
Peters appeared at the commission of inquiry into state capture on Wednesday.
The Prasa board, led by Popo Molefe, terminated Montana’s contract eight months ahead of schedule in July 2015.
They accused him of lying and keeping important information relating to the rail agency from the board.
Molefe told the commission that Zuma interfered with the board’s work and wanted them to reinstate Montana.
Peters has denied this in her previous testimony, saying Zuma’s only concern was the public spats between the board and Montana.
On Wednesday, Peters was asked if it was the general procedure for her to discuss Montana’s departure with Zuma.
She said many other executives were leaving Prasa and she had to inform the president.
“I went to the president with an understanding that I am the minister and ministers are first-line advisors of the president. I went to make him aware of this. I said it would be wrong for a government to invest in this capacity and in black people then lose them.
“It was under that context I went to the president about these vacancies, it was 8 months before Montana was due to leave.”
She said the correct procedure is to inform the president about appointments of CEOs but not necessarily their departure.
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On axing the Prasa Board
Peters was also asked why she told the High Court that she fired the Molefe board based on allegations of corruption, but did not give the same reason to the commission.
Peters said she did not remember telling the court about corruption.
Tensions flared when her lawyer Zola Majavu objected to this line of questioning, saying evidence leader, Advocate Vas Soni, was asking Peters to comment on decisions made by a judge.
In the end Peters stuck to her answer, saying she did not mention corruption to the commission.
She indicated that her reasons for firing the board related to the irregular expenditure that increased from R5.5 billion in 2015 to R24 billion in 2018.
