South Africa Vision

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says the process to address the dire state of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) is firmly on track and significant progress has been made in a number of areas.

“It is common cause that we inherited a broken organisation in dire straits. Through the Shareholders Compact we concluded with the Board, we seek to address the challenges with speed, in a systematic and focused manner,” the Minister said on Monday.

In a statement, the Minister said when he came into office in 2019, a process to address the state of the entity was set.

“The narrative that seeks to create an impression that there is a crisis at PRASA requires that we set the record straight.

“The Board of Control we appointed in 2020 is making progress in building the necessary capacity, while providing leadership in enabling PRASA to deliver on its mandate,” Mbalula said.

The Minister said he has been briefed on a number of significant decisions the Board has taken, which include the termination of employment of the Group CEO, a matter currently before the courts.

“The report of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) implicates approximately 44 officials in wrong-doing, and the Board is implementing consequences management in this regard.

“The Board is equally giving urgent attention to serious allegations made against one of the executives, while tackling, among others, the challenge of ghost workers through an internal campaign, Operation Ziveze,” the Minister said.

He said he has comfort that the Board has its eye on the ball and is making headway in addressing chronic challenges that have undermined PRASA’s ability to deliver on its mandate in the past.

“Operational decisions relating to appointments, suspensions and termination of contracts of employees are matters that fall within the purview of the Board.

“The established accountability protocols are fully functional, and I am regularly informed when the Board makes significant decisions that are of a strategic nature or impact on policy implementation,” the Minister said.

The Minister has encouraged the Board to take the public into its confidence on the interventions it is making to steady the ship and the decisions it is taking as part of ensuring that the modernisation of passenger rail moves with the necessary speed, led by capable individuals.

“Such a step will obviate the need for others to speculate on the state of PRASA and make unfounded statements,” the Minister said.

In the new year, the Department of Transport will provide a comprehensive update to the nation on the progress we have made in implementing the PRASA Corporate Plan and the Shareholders’ Compact.

“This update will also include the White Paper on National Rail Policy, which will be tabled before Cabinet in the new year.

“Our efforts to turn around PRASA will not take us 30 years, but will deliver tangible results in the coming year. Most of the corridors that were shut down will be back to full operation in the new year, including the central line in Cape Town and the Mabopane line in Tshwane,” the Minister said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Crime Intelligence members received information about a Bothaville man in possession of unlicensed firearm. The suspect was arrested with drugs and live ammunitions. Welkom K9 Unit, Crime Intelligence and residents of Bothaville praised for excellent work.

On the 21 December 2021 at 17:00 members of Crime Intelligence received information from a resident of Bothaville about a person in possession of unlicensed firearm. The information was opertionalised whereby Welkom K9 Unit was engaged and a house in Kiepersol Street at Bothaville was approached.

Members requested permission to search the house premises and 17 live ammunitions and 8 Mandrax tablets and 2 grams of Crystal Meth with all with the street value of R2 500.

A 39-year-old male person was arrested for possession of unlicensed ammunitions and drugs. He will appear soon in Bothaville Magistrate Court.

Source: South African Police Service

DURBAN – Folweni SAPS are appealing to members of the community for assistance with regards to a missing person, Sibongile Blose (34) from Makhandeni Road in Folweni B Section. She was last seen going to Umlazi F section and has not returned home since.

She was wearing a long yellow dress and sandals. She has dreadlocks and is dark in complexion.

We appeal to anyone with information of his whereabouts to contact Sergeant Ngema-Dlamini on 067 184 2901/ 031 900 0235 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

Source: South African Police Service

The Gauteng Traffic Police’s High-Speed Unit has arrested 18 drivers for allegedly speeding excessively on Gauteng roads.

“Excessive speeding is one of the major contributing factors towards fatal crashes. This kind of behaviour will never be tolerated on our roads,” Gauteng Traffic Police spokesperson, Sello Maremane, said on Tuesday.

The reckless and negligent drivers were arrested over the weekend during the high-speed operations conducted along Gauteng major routes.

The speedsters were found driving their vehicles at a speed in excess of the prescribed maximum speed limit of 120km per hour on a freeway.

The suspects, aged between 21 and 45, were apprehended on Gauteng Freeways such as the N1 Pretoria to Polokwane, N14 Pretoria to Krugersdorp, N4 Pretoria to Mpumalanga, R21 Pretoria to Boksburg, and M1 between Pretoria and Johannesburg.

Their speed ranged from 160km per hour to over 200 km per hour.

The highest speed recorded was the 26-year-old driver of a Silver BMW, who was caught excessively speeding at 207 km per hour on the N1 freeway in Midrand on 11 December 2021.

“The driver could not provide any reason for over speeding nor show any signs of remorse for having endangered the lives of other road users. The driver was detained at Midrand police station.

“All the drivers were formally charged with reckless and negligent driving, as well as exceeding the prescribed speed limit of 120km/h on a freeway. The drivers are expected to appear soon in various magistrate courts in Pretoria and Johannesburg, respectively, after they were granted a bail of R1 500 to R5 000,” the Gauteng Traffic Police said.

The Gauteng Traffic Police High-Speed Unit will be on high alert this festive season by continuously conducting patrol on Gauteng major routes to ensure that motorists adhere to the general speed limit.

The Gauteng Traffic Police have urged motorists to continue to exercise the necessary caution by adhering to the rules of the road, and driving at the prescribed speed limit in order to save the lives of passengers and other road users.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The State Capture Commission says it expects to hand over its report in three tranches over the next few months.

In a statement, commission chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, explained that while the commission has been working to have the final report ready by the end of December as previously reported, this is not entirely possible.

“Our recent assessment of the work has revealed that while parts of the report relating to certain work streams or State-owned entities and topics will be ready before the end of December, there are some parts that relate to other work streams or SOEs or topics that will still need further work beyond the end of December, if the commission is not to compromise the quality of the report. The commission believes that it should not compromise the quality of the report.

“Last week, I discussed the matter with [President Cyril Ramaphosa]. Although the President would have liked to receive a complete report by the end of December, he understands the Commission’s position,” he said.

Zondo explained that as a result, the first two reports will “for all intents and purposes, constitute the first and second interim reports” of the commission’s work.

“Part III will be the commission’s final report. It will be possible to deliver Part I of the report to the President before the end of December, Part II before the end of January 2022 and Part III before the end of February 2022,” he said.

According to Zondo, the commission has further applied to the High Court to have its term extended to enable the delivery of the reports next year.

Zondo assured that no additional money will be spent to fulfil this extension.

“The secretary of the commission assures me that the existing budget allocation for the commission will be adequate to cover any fees that may relate to the commission’s legal and investigations teams up to the end of February 2022, and that it will not be necessary for the Commission to ask for further funding in regard to such fees.”

Source: South African Government News Agency