Second transport company suspends staff without pay while investigation continues

A second transport company, Falcon Coaches, involved in the sale of fake Covid-19 test results to cross-border travellers in South Africa has suspended, without pay, the staff members allegedly involved.

In April, a DM168 investigation exposed the sale of fake Covid-19 test results for R300 and R400 by transport companies at Park Station in Johannesburg.

Prince Sekhala, the manager of Falcon Coaches, said the two staff members were suspended for three months without pay while the investigation by management continues.

“When I asked them about their involvement, they were pointing fingers at each other and none of them agreed,” he said. “So, because they were not telling me the truth of what really transpired, I just decided to stop their salaries for three months.”

Sekhala said the two staff members are still with the company, because he wanted to see how things unfold before management makes a final decision.

“You first have to give them a warning before you take a permanent decision, because I did not have someone I could pin the reported fraud on, since both of them were denying [it]. So, I decided to give them a form of punishment for three months to see what is going to happen in between because I did not want to dismiss them abruptly without completing my fact-finding,” he said. 

When asked if he had reported the matter to the police, Sekhala said he did not “have enough evidence to take that action, but I wanted to have a formal meeting with them where I can just verify some few details”.

Falcon Coaches has suspended, without pay, the staff members allegedly involved. (Photo: Patrick Egwu)