The regional manager for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) in the Western Cape, Richard Walker, has been placed on paid leave.
On Tuesday morning, Prasa spokesperson Makhosini Mgitywa said Raymond Maseko had taken over as acting regional manager in the Western Cape with immediate effect.
Mgitywa said since Prasa was placed under administration two months ago, Administrator Bongisizwe Mpondo has visited all the regions to engage the employees of the organization and its stakeholders. “This was done in order to gain a first-hand account of the troubles besetting the organization.”
Mgitywa said the Western Cape region has so far proven to be the most troubled among all of Prasa’s regions. “It has experienced multiple challenges and lapses as the operating unit of Prasa Rail Operations, which have led to passengers, commuters and stakeholders losing confidence in the business.”
“The WC region has also been unable to assist Prasa to realize its long-term business objectives, such as the provision of reliable and safe train operations to the passengers and commuters. These failures have been voiced by the commuters during a number of engagements with Mpondo.”
He said among other concerns to Prasa had the high number of unresolved employee grievances in the region, which have contributed to very low morale, at a time when the organization was supposed to improve its performance and turn the corner.
“The appointment of Regional Engineering Manager, Raymond Maseko, as Acting Regional Manager: Prasa Rail Operations, is aimed at stabilising the region and improving performance.”
Maseko has over 18 years’ hands-on experience in railway planning, infrastructure development, project and product management, and systems engineering strategies.
“Maseko assumes his new responsibilities with immediate effect. Meanwhile, Regional Manager Walker has been placed on paid leave while the organization attends to the numerous challenges in the region.”
The United Commuters Voice (UCV) spokesperson Joao Jardim welcomed the decision by Mpondo, and said Mpondo was doing a great job so far. “UCV and all relevant entities must allow Prasa to do their internal investigations,” said Jardim.
The Unite Behind spokesperson Matthew Hirsch said: “It feels that Walker had not fulfilled his mandate. We believe that Maseko, like Walker, will be hamstrung by Prasa’s centralized structure.”
“He will need a disaster management team of at least ten people to assist in restoring Prasa to working order. Fixing Prasa is not the task of one man, However, it is our understanding that the administrator has been unlawfully appointed which leaves every decision he makes questionable,” Hirsch said.
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Source: Cape Argus
