IN QUOTES | Former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana denies abusing power

21 April 2021 - 16:37 By cebelihle bhengu
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Former Prasa boss Lucky Montana. File photo.
Former Prasa boss Lucky Montana. File photo.
Image: Esa Alexander/Sunday Times

Former Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) CEO Lucky Montana on Tuesday denied involvement in irregular contracts at the agency, distancing himself from the Guptas and claiming to have stood his ground against wrongdoing during his tenure at the agency. 

He appeared before the state capture commission and was quizzed by its chair, deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo, and evidence leader advocate Vas Soni about allegations of abuse of power, among other things.

Suspended Prasa general manager for legal services Fani Dingiswayo had accused Montana of using his power to influence the awarding of undue contracts by the agency and refused to be questioned.

Montana denied the allegations and told the commission he never did anything illegal.

Here are five responses from Montana: 

Acting against Dingiswayo and Ngoye 

“Chair, it's laughable what [Dingiswayo] is saying because I was the CEO of Prasa and I was accountable for its performance to the board of Prasa. So management had ultimately supported me in fulfilling the mandate of the board. They were not independent of me, so if Dingiswayo or Martha Ngoye wanted a life of their own and [to] pursue something I didn't even instruct them to do ... I had to act.” 

Not a Zuma or Gupta person 

“There was no president Zuma or Gupta lurking at Prasa. I stood my ground. People thought we were captured by the Guptas. They were not my friends, chair, and I mean I have never been to the Gupta's compound to eat curry.”

Standing firm

“I fought with a lot of people, including ministers. If I believe something is wrong, I say it's wrong. I have never been afraid because I have never made unlawful decisions, but there's an attempt to take whatever may have been a mistake or shortcoming on an irregularity to elevate it so it becomes criminality.”

Skills training for the employees

“Initially, Prodigy [Business Services] did want to claim from us because it had carried certain costs but we told them they could claim directly from the Setas ... we budget for training as Prasa, we spend the money and apply to get paid back part of the money spent.”

Prasa got value for money 

“We have done tremendous work and part of me coming to this commission is to ensure the true story of Prasa is told — not to deny any weaknesses and shortcomings, but to say the real Prasa should be the one represented before the commission.”


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