Former Prasa chair moves out of company-owned luxury home after exposé

Leonard Ramatlakane, the former chair of the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa), moved out of a posh property belonging to the struggling state-owned entity in March.

Department of transport spokesperson Collen Msibi confirmed Ramatlakane moved out of the property in the expensive Cape Town suburb of Newlands after the Sunday Times reported that due processes and procedures were not followed.

“He was not supposed to occupy the property in the first instance,” Msibi said.

He said the name of the new chair would be announced in due course.   

The department had announced Ramatlakane's axing follows an investigation by the entity into the misuse of one of its properties in Cape Town. 

The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) welcomed the decision by minister of transport Sindisiwe Chikunga.

Spokesperson Amanda Tshemese said the union understands that there have been allegations against the former chair, including misconduct.

On Ramatlakane allegedly moving into the property secretly, Tshemese said: “The organisation will never accept nor tolerate this kind of behaviour”.

Satawu appreciated the decision taken by the minister in fighting corruption and dishonesty in the department.

“This should be a lesson to those who continue to misuse the state resources instead of advancing the lives of the poor and the working class. Mr Ramatlakane’s misconduct is against what the union stands for,” said Tshemese.

The union said it was committed to working with anyone promoting and dedicated to clean administration and emphasised that anything that sought to undermine the workers, government interventions and the poor would never be supported.

“We also wish to reiterate that the union will continue working and supporting the minister and the board members as we are refurbishing and rebuilding the vandalised lines in the country.” 

Sunday Times reported in March that insiders at the entity said Ramatlakane was getting a leg up from taxpayers after he moved into the property.

It was reported that the former chair moved into the property because his own house, which he bought 25 years ago, has been undergoing renovations and extensions. 

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