Suspended CEO of railway safety body's resignation 'admission of guilt'

The under-fire CEO of the Railway Safety Regulator, Nkululeko Poya, has resigned while on suspension. 

He was placed on suspension in November 2017 and subjected to a disciplinary inquiry on 14 charges, including alleged misconduct and abuse of power, according to a statement by the board on Thursday.

The regulator is responsible for issuing and managing safety permits and for investigating railway accidents, among other things.

Poya challenged the disciplinary inquiry at the Labour Court last year where, according to the board, his application was dismissed with costs.

The regulator said Poya continued to demonstrate a flagrant disregard for its policies while on suspension by registering and running a business without declaring it to the RSR.

It said that in light of the repeated violation and disregard for the policies of his employer, Poya was served with a summons for breaching contractual, statutory and fiduciary duties. It was against this backdrop that Poya tendered his resignation.

"After careful consideration of the detrimental impact Mr Poya's actions had on the regulator’s reputation and financial position, the board of the RSR views his resignation as an admission of guilt and in the best interest of the organisation,"  the regulator’s board chairperson, Dr Zethu Qunta, said.

Qunta said while Poya had been on suspension, the organisation had been restored and fully recovered from the financial strain experienced during his tenure.