Satawu wants Prasa's Lucky Montana gone

Rail workers have called for the suspension of Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) group CEO Lucky Montana over alleged tender irregularities.

"We want an independent forensic investigation into the worrying state of affairs and corporate rot at Prasa," SA Trade and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu) president Ephraim Mphahlele said on Tuesday.

The union wanted Montana suspended pending an outcome, as it believed he would tamper with the investigation.

The union contended it had kept a dossier detailing the irregularities. Some of the problems were touched on at a media briefing in Johannesburg.

Mphahlele claimed Montana had ignored problems at the public entity which resulted in huge financial losses.

Satawu members also demanded an end to "harassment and persecution".

They threatened to march on Friday and later embark on an indefinite countrywide strike should their demands not be met.

Earlier in the day, Montana said he noted Satawu's allegations.

"These allegations are rejected with the contempt they deserve, and we regard them as defamatory," he said in a statement.

"These malicious allegations are manufactured by... Mr Maphahlele."