by Sinikiwe Mqadi. We are none the wiser about who the author of this report is, but it looks like it's a concerted effort where people who would take Chapter 9 institutions reports and use it to malign other people and come back to say sorry. The special audit was undertaken after the auditor-general found that Prasa omitted crucial information about overpayments and irregular contracts awarded when the initial 2016-17 audit was performed. "I have to pursue the issue of my damages at a criminal level. Then-transport minister Dipuo Peters seconded Letsoalo to Prasa from the Department of Transport in July 2016. During the SABC interview, Letsoalo also accused police in Pretoria of sitting on a case of perjury he had opened against Molefe for allegedly lying under oath about receiving payments. ". Former acting CEO of Prasa Collins Letsoalo has hit back at the parastatal’s board over claims he demanded a 350% raise. This is according to former acting CEO of Prasa Collins Letsoalo who had in December 2016 requested employees to declare business interests and disclose blood relations with other employees. The auditor-general has recommended that Collins Letsoalo, former acting CEO of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, should repay all the money he awarded himself by hiking his salary 350%. They are sorry, but that is not enough. Collins Letsoalo was born in Ga-Molepo village in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. © 2021 Arena Holdings (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. Former Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) acting chief Collins Letsoalo said on Tuesday he would sue the utility, the Sunday Times newspaper, … Collins Letsoalo. Pretoria: The Minister of Transport, Ms Dipuo Peters, has taken a decision to withdraw the secondment of Mr Collins Letsoalo from the Passenger Rail Agency South Africa. PHOTO: African News Agency (ANA) PHOTO: African News Agency (ANA) PRETORIA – Former Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) acting CEO Collins Letsoalo said on Tuesday he would sue the utility, the Sunday Times newspaper and other individuals for about R20 million for fraud and defamation. 2018-12-19 08:39:00 PM. PRASA | ANNUAL REPORT 2015/16 SECTION A - NON-REGULATORY INFORMATION A Collins Letsoalo Acting Group CEO Popo Molefe Chairman Ms Dipuo Peters Honourable Minister of Transport Parliament Dear Honourable Minister SUBJECT: FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2015 We are pleased to submit, for your information, and presentation to Parliament, the Passenger Rail Agency of South … Collins Letsoalo, former acting chief of Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa), said on Monday that his dismissal from the troubled entity was due to "a web of corruption and looters" he had unearthed during his walkabouts and roadshows at the agency, and never about an alleged massive salary increase. Collins Letsoalo, Prasa’s fired acting CEO, refuses to budge. The auditor-general also wants the R2.6-billion paid to Swifambo Rail Leasing for the controversial Afro4000 locomotives to be paid back. The North Gauteng High Court ruled that Letsoalo was entitled to the package of R5.9 million per year agreed upon in his appointment or the same package enjoyed by his predecessor Lucky Montana. It was found that she was not entitled to acting allowances she received each time she was moved to a different position. When the Ombudsman asked them why are you not doing that, they never came forward," Letsoalo said. Would you like to comment on this article or view other readers' comments? "As I leave here I'm going to open a case of fraud of this forged investigation report at the Brooklyn police station [in Pretoria] against this Sunday Times journalist and his sources," he said. Register (it’s quick and free) or sign in now. Collins is a trained Economist, Banker, ... On 1 July 2016, he was assigned to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) as the Acting Group CEO tasked to develop and implement a turnaround strategy to restore operations as well as corporate and financial governance. Collins Letsoalo was dismissed as the Prasa acting group CEO, but says only minister of transport can terminate his contract. Office of the CEO Chief Executive Officer : Phutjane Collins Letsoalo QUALIFICATIONS Matric certificate, B.Com (Economics), Advanced Diploma in Central Banking, Diploma in Treasury Management and Trade Finance and CAIB (SA), Post Graduate Diploma in Management. "What did the Sunday Times do, they went ahead and printed the story without asking the AG. BL PREMIUM . The auditor-general's office also ruled that her appointment as CEO of the foundation was irregular because there was no evidence that the foundation was operational. #Prasa appoints new acting CEO … Prasa awarded a R3.5-billion contract to Swifambo in 2012 to supply 70 locomotives. 28 February 2017 7:59 AM. Former Prasa acting CEO Collins Letsoalo said on Tuesday he would sue the utility, the Sunday Times newspaper and other individuals. The auditor-general said Khena should repay payments for the months of August, September and October amounting to R660,000 which were wrongly made to him. Letsoalo said his investigations into procurement, the payment of suppliers and non-payment of others had threatened some powerful people and that almost every board committee focused on money, rather than how to cut expenses, grow revenue and ensure trains were on time, clean and maintained. When the annual report is made public, Prasa will communicate to the public how it is dealing with the findings," said spokeswoman Nana Zenani. ", "My lawyers are actually working on the papers and the evidence we have ... but of course we are running into millions, maybe R20 million (between) Prasa, Sunday Times, Popo Molefe, Bhekani Khumalo and all other people associated with them. In firing Letsoalo, the Prasa board said it had passed no resolution authorising the pay hike. All rights reserved, Please visit the official Government information portal for Coronavirus by clicking HERE. This despite Prasa … Africa (Prasa), Collins Letsoalo, yesterday rejected allegations that he had demanded a massive pay hike as well benefits he was allegedly not entitled to. Swifambo procured the locomotives from a Spanish company, in a contract that a court later ruled was invalid. Three months later he gave himself a massive pay … Collins Letsoalo to sue Prasa for R20m. He said in June 2016, the minister informed him that she “did not believe Prasa was sufficiently ‘stable’” to allow for the appointment of a permanent CGEO and Peters seconded Collins Letsoalo, the then chief financial officer and deputy director-general in … The Public Service Commission came to the same conclusion. Collins Letsoalo, Prasa Board Why didn't former Prasa CEO Letsoalo report nepotism, corruption? Prasa board moves to remove Collins Letsoalo The board has served Letsoalo with a notice letter, in which it thanked him for his services. Please read our Comment Policy before commenting. Briefing on prasa audit report and turnaround strategy . Collins Letsoalo to sue Sunday Times, Prasa for R20m busrep. Dismissed Prasa acting CEO Collins Letsoalo … 'He was aiming for my head': Key state capture witness survives dawn hit, Ex-president's wife wants out, accuses him of 'hiding his wealth', Birds take tern for the worse in tropical storm Eloise. Three months later he gave himself a massive pay increase, taking his salary from R1.3-million a year to R5.9-million. Former Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) acting chief Collins Letsoalo said on Tuesday he would sue the utility, the Sunday Times newspaper, and other individuals for about R20 million for fraud and defamation. Another Prasa executive alleged by the auditor-general to have benefited from undue overpayments is Lindikhaya Zide, who was the company secretary at Intersite and Autopax, which are part of the Prasa group. It was noted that the only cost incurred under the foundation's cost centre is salaries.". The Passenger Rail Agency continues to pay more than R1-million a year for bodyguards to "protect" its disgraced former boss, Collins Letsoalo. Prasa said this in a statement released on Wednesday afternoon. During December 2016, acting PRASA CEO Collins Letsoalo told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts that the organisation had incurred R13.9 billion in irregular expenditure while 142 contracts worth R24 billion were being investigated for corruption with some cases referred to … Read more at the SA government's online coronavirus portal or use the 24-hour public hotline: 0800 029 999. A Prasa management report at the time said Letsoalo and other senior executives who received millions of rands in overpayments, salary increments, bonuses and promotions were not entitled to the money and should reimburse the agency. When Peters seconded Letsoalo to Prasa, his letter of appointment said his salary, rank and seniority would not change, meaning he was not even entitled to the standard 12% increase that managers who act in a senior position normally receive. The Passenger Rail Agency of SA’s board has dismissed claims by the company’s former acting CEO Collins Letsoalo that he was victimised for fighting corruption, saying Letsoalo’s allegations are a “misinformation crusade”. Collins Letsoalo to sue Sunday Times, Prasa for R20m By Siphelele Dludla Dec 18, 2018 PRETORIA - Former Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) acting CEO Collins Letsoalo … The special audit also found that Nathi Khena, who was fired as Prasa's chief operating officer in July 2016 but later reinstated, had received bonuses and leave payouts for the period that he was not at the agency. “No amount of subterfuge of people masquerading as having a good interest of Prasa at heart, yet they don’t, will deter me from fighting corruption at Prasa,” Letsoalo said during a media briefing. But the AG denied he was the author of the report. There's no way the auditor-general can go above the courts," Letsoalo told the Sunday Times this week. The Passenger Rail Agency continues to pay more than R1-million a year for bodyguards to "protect" its disgraced former boss, Collins Letsoalo. Speaking on public broadcaster SABC's "The Agenda" programme on Tuesday, Letsoalo said he told his side of the story to a Sunday Times journalist about the non-existence of the AG report, but the journalist refused to accept his version or verify the document with the AG's office. Letsoalo seconded. The auditor-general said Zide should repay just over R420,000 he received between November 2015 and December 2016 but to which he was not entitled. Then-transport minister Dipuo Peters seconded Letsoalo to Prasa from the Department of Transport in July 2016. Letsoalo said Bhekani Khumalo, the group executive for human capital and former Prasa chairperson Popo Molefe were among individuals out to tarnish his image. Mr Letsoalo’s secondment to PRASA with effect from 1 July 2016 was in accordance with the Public Service Act, read in conjunction with the Public Service Regulations, which provides for a secondment of an employee. However, according to an email he sent to Prasa board members, he is not going anywhere. JOHANNESBURG, February 22 (ANA) – The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has fired the acting group chief executive, Collins Letsoalo, with immediate effect following a unanimous board decision to terminate the secondment at the rail agency. asks Prasa Board. Collins Letsoalo/Photo file: Businesslive. The Passanger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has hit back at its former CEO Collins Letsoalo. "In fact the ombudsman says they failed to cooperate with his office. "I was never fired, I didn't even get a letter. 01 March 2017 - 08:47 Graeme Hosken and Thanduxolo Jika. However, the High Court in Pretoria ruled in April last year that Letsoalo was entitled to be paid at the same rate as former group CEO Lucky Montana, who had received R5.9-million. EWN's Monique Mortlock … As PRASA we are happy to announce that we have received an unquali ed Audit opinion from AGSA for the nancial year 2015/16. "Until such time as the audit report is final, Prasa is not in a position to respond to findings that have not been taken through proper governance processes and adopted as such. Prasa refused to provide a detailed response to the special audit, saying the original annual report for 2016-17 had not been approved nor submitted to parliament by the Department of Transport, its shareholder. The auditor-general also tracked the career progression of another executive, Pearl Munthali, from the position of chief information officer to her appointment in July 2014 as CEO of the Prasa Development Foundation at an annual package of R2.9-million. Collins Letsoalo believes he is still the acting CEO of PRASA even after the board announced his dismissal on Monday. BL PREMIUM . Four months after that, in February last year, the Prasa board fired him. Letsoalo said he was not accepting the apology and reiterated his belief that he was axed from Prasa for uncovering rampant corruption by executives and their relatives at the troubled agency, rather than over an alleged massive salary increase. On Monday Letsoalo broke his silence for the first time since February, accusing Prasa executives of corruption and nepotism, saying many had wives doing business with, as well as sons, daughters and other relatives working for the rail agency. PRETORIA - Former Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) acting CEO Collins Letsoalo said on Tuesday he would sue the utility, the Sunday Times newspaper and other individuals for about R20 million for fraud and defamation. In a special audit seen this week by the Sunday Times, the auditor-general says that Letsoalo - who is still a member of the Prasa board - should repay the money, but does not give a figure. "These matters have gone to court and the court has declared on it. Collins Letsoalo, acting CEO of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has been let go by the parastatal with immediate effect. The Sunday Times has apologised to Letsoalo after the press ombudsman ruled that the newspaper tarnished his dignity and reputation after it published a false and misleading story in June. Collins Letsoalo‚ the … Source Sowetan LIVE. The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has appointed Lindikhaye Zide to replace axed acting CEO Collins Letsoalo, reports EWN's Gia Nicolaides. 'Majority owner' Vele went on luxury spree in Venda king's name, Special audit finds that Collins Letsoalo was not due the hefty raise he gave himself. Pretoria - Collins Letsoalo, former acting chief of Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa), said on Monday that his dismissal from the troubled entity was due to "a web of corruption and looters" he had unearthed during his walkabouts and roadshows at the agency, and never about an alleged massive salary increase. The Acting Group CEO Collins Letsoalo hosted a media briefng session this afternoon at PRASA Corporate Office and addressed the following issues. Collins Letsoalo suspended employee who raised alarm over salary irregularity . ", © 2021 Independent Online and affiliated companies. Collins Letsoalo speaks at a press briefing on Monday. The Sunday Times story said the Auditor-General (AG) had asked Letsoalo to pay back the money he had earned when his salary was increased 350 percent in October 2016 when he was seconded to Prasa from the department of Transport, taking his salary from R1.3 million a year to R5.9 million. Read more: IOL News » Myeni invokes right to remain silent at State Capture Inquiry.