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Five key signals that expose the mission ahead to get Prasa back on track 

Five key signals that expose the mission ahead to get Prasa back on track 
Metrorail services have deteriorated countrywide and commuter numbers are far off former levels. (Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks)
Suné Payne
By Suné Payne
24 Sep 2024
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The country’s embattled rail agency, Prasa, is claiming it is on a trajectory towards recovery. Under scrutiny in Parliament last week, the agency was dished with both praise and criticism.

Is the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) on track to resume services and entice commuters back to using its trains? The agency’s claims that it is showing improvements were unpacked over two days in Parliament. 

While there have been slight improvements, as revealed in Parliament, it is a mixed bag. 

From investigations to finances and the agency’s road to recovery, MPs put Prasa’s track record under the spotlight.

Rail activist organisation #UniteBehind told Daily Maverick: “We are thankful and relieved that Prasa has finally begun to recover its commuter rail services. However, there are still major problems with its service.” 

Donald Selamolela, chair of Parliament’s transport oversight committee, said Prasa’s road to recovery is “non-negotiable” for the economy and for commuters who rely on rail. 

Daily Maverick conducted a checklist of its progress. 


1. Audit figures: Yes, an improvement


At the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), Parliament was told by the Auditor-General (AG) that Prasa improved from a disclaimer audit opinion in the 2021/2022 audit cycle. 

For the 2022/2023 financial year, the agency received a qualified audit opinion. In a briefing note to Scopa, the AG said: “A qualified audit opinion was expressed on the financial statements, signalling Prasa emerging from the disclaimer of audit opinions that were expressed since the financial year ended 31 March 2019.”

For four consecutive financial years, Prasa received a “disclaimer” audit. Now, it has received a “qualified” audit opinion. While it is not a clean audit and the AG’s office has highlighted several issues within Prasa, including its rolling stock, it is an improvement from the previous lacklustre audits. 

2. Increased commuter rail trips: Partially improved 


Prasa Metrorail services have deteriorated countrywide and commuter numbers are far off former levels. (Photo: Ashraf Hendricks)



During Prasa’s appearance before Parliament’s transport oversight committee, the rail agency revealed a 294% growth in passenger numbers between 2020/21 and 2023/24. During the Covid-19 lockdowns, train operations ground to a halt and only opened in 2021 on some lines. 

While recovery and station renovations have increased at the agency and more people are flocking to use the trains, which is often a cheaper alternative to other modes of transport, it is a far cry from the 2014/2015 figures of 550 million passenger numbers, as the agency reported to Parliament in 2023. 

As a strategic objective, the agency wants to reach 186 million passengers by 2026/2027, as laid out in its presentation to Parliament. 

However, #UniteBehind says major lines are not operational as yet. “The Central Line, the most important line in Cape Town servicing the poorest citizens, is still only running on limited functionality – around one train per hour at peak times,” legal officer Joseph Mayson said. “Trains run at around half their top speed,” he added. 

3. Need for stability: Mixed bag 


Prasa’s leadership woes continued this week. There is a board in place at Prasa, but its senior management is still an issue. 

Prasa’s first permanent CEO since 2015 – Zolani Matthews – has been fired in an ongoing legal dispute with the rail agency. Daily Maverick reported this week that MPs were told there were “no easy choices” in firing Matthews after the protracted legal turn of events.

Read: Fired Prasa CEO Zolani Matthews’ settlement was ‘fair and just’, MPs told

Before Matthews’ appointment, the controversial Lucky Montana was the agency’s last CEO. Montana now occupies an MP seat on the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party benches and sits on the transport oversight committee. 

Hishaam Emeran now occupies the CEO seat. But at the same time, the agency is lacking key figures. In the AG’s report to Parliament, it emerged there was a 50% vacancy rate among senior management at the end of the 2022/2023 financial year.

The AG’s office said: “We reiterated our prior year recommendation to Prasa that the instability in executive management and capacity shortages in critical departments should be addressed without further delay.” 

4. Ghost employees: Some improvements


In March 2022, Prasa was rocked by an allegation that the rail agency had “ghost workers” totalling about 3,000 employees. This caught the attention of Parliament, with the then transport minister, Fikile Mbalula, and Prasa officials reiterating there would be a verification process. This was dubbed  Operation Ziveze.

Special Investigating Unit (SIU) head Andy Mothibi told Parliament that the SIU established that the Ziveze report had identified 1,277 “ghost workers” whose salaries Prasa had been processing. The SIU identified a weakness in the HR system used by the rail agency, which allowed for the onboarding of employees without an audit trail. 

Thus far, 1,277 “ghost workers” have been identified for investigation, with 620 matters finalised and 657 still being investigated. The SIU said some of these workers’ contracts had expired or they had reached retirement age or died, but were still on Prasa’s payroll. 

This meant Prasa lost about R20-million per month as a result of the ‘ghost workers’. 

5. SIU Investigations: Not improved (and Prasa owes the SIU) 


The SIU confirmed it has ongoing investigations into the agency, which are being hampered by a lack of record-keeping, as reported by the SIU on Wednesday. 

Read in Daily Maverick: SIU says officials must answer for poor record-keeping that hinders investigations

At the same time, the SIU revealed in Parliament it had to re-open its 2019 investigation, which had already been completed. Mothibi said this was due to information from a whistleblower. 

Thus far, the unit is investigating the ill-fated and corrupt Swifambo and Siyangena deals at the agency, along with governance issues. This follows at least two proclamations by the President to investigate the rail agency. 

MPs also questioned a slide from the SIU’s presentation in Parliament, pertaining to its investigation costs, in which Prasa was invoiced R3,522,962.50. When MPs asked if this had been paid, Mothibi said no. This caused several MPs to shake their heads. DM

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