Letsoalo's ticket punched

The Passenger Rail Agency of SA has replaced acting group CEO Collins Letsoalo just days after he was exposed for giving himself a 350% pay increase.

Prasa board chairman Popo Molefe yesterday confirmed that company secretary Lindikhaye Zide had been appointed as acting CEO, while Cromet Molepo was appointed acting CEO of Prasa Rail.

Molefe said he would not tolerate Letsoalo's nonsense, saying he was "not welcome here".

"When we told that guy to go, we immediately appointed [Zide] on the same day," said Molefe.

"Our position is simple. Letsoalo was never our employee. He was on secondment and as such we are sending him back to his employer, the Transport Department.

• Prasa wants Transport Department to pay back the money for Collins Letsoalo while union wants to talk over 3% vs 350%The Transport Department will be held financially liable for the 350% salary hike disgraced Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa acting group CEO Collins Letsoalo secured himself.

"We expect the department to start instituting disciplinary proceedings against him for bringing Prasa into disrepute."

Letsoalo was axed after a Sunday Times report detailing how he orchestrated an annual pay increase from R1.3-million to R5.9-million, as well as asked for a chauffeur, without board approval.

Molefe said Letsoalo had been "ducking and diving" a letter of termination of his secondment, "which we had the power and authority to write".

Letsoalo sent an e-mail on Tuesday to the rail agency's board insisting that he was going nowhere.

But he did not report for work at the Prasa offices yesterday.

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During an interview with Xolani Gwala on Radio 702 yesterday Letsoalo denied the Prasa board had the power to fire him.

He told The Times there was "no need" for him to leave his job, adding that only Transport Minister Dipuo Peters, who seconded him to the position, could remove him.

But Molefe disagreed. "All his blustering is about playing to a gallery. Our message to him is: 'Find yourself another gallery to play to because we are not listening'."

It is understood that security at Prasa's head office, where Letsoalo had an office, has been issued with instructions to stop him from entering the building.

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His office has been locked.

Transport Department spokesman Ishmael Mnisi said Prasa's board had been instructed to respond to the minister by Friday on the goings-on in the agency.

"Once the minister has Prasa's report she will make a decision on the step that needs to be taken," Mnisi said.