The Congress of the People (Cope) said “it will be laying a charge of corruption and fraud” against axed Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) group CEO Lucky Montana on Wednesday morning.
The party’s announcement on Wednesday‚ which added that the case will be opened at Brooklyn Police Station in Pretoria‚ follows a threat by the Democratic Alliance (DA) on Tuesday to lay criminal charges against Montana for fraud and corruption.
The DA also said it would request that the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) conduct a forensic investigation into the misconduct at Prasa in order to determine the criminal liability of those involved in the abuse of public funds and prosecute them accordingly.
The abuse of public funds uncovered by the Public Protector‚ Advocate Thuli Madonsela‚ at Prasa “poses a significant threat to the parastatal‚ which has an important mandate to transport millions of South Africans to work and school on a daily basis”‚ a statement by the DA said.
“The DA will therefore pursue a number of avenues to ensure that the remedial actions taken by the public protector are enforced‚ the misappropriated funds are recuperated‚ and that criminal charges against the appropriate authorities are investigated.
Cope said on Tuesday that Montana is showing the “Public Protector the middle finger”‚ the Congress of the People (Cope) said on Tuesday.
This‚ the party said in a statement‚ could be blamed on the “very bad and dangerous example” set by President Jacob Zuma in the “palpable disrespect” he has shown the office of Thuli when it “asked him to pay back a portion of the money irregularly spent at Nkandla”.
“Zuma’s contention that the Public Protector’s office is not a court of law will encourage many wrongdoers to take a similar stance‚” Cope said.
“Henceforth‚ everyone who acts with impropriety or who commits fraud will hold that that the Public Protector is merely making recommendations and that these are not binding.”
The statement was issued as Montana came out swinging against Madonsela’s report on maladministration at the parastatal.
BDlive reported that Montana‚ speaking to Radio 702 on Tuesday morning‚ said Madonsela was not a judge and that he would challenge for a review of her report in court.
“All of those allegations (against me) are false and baseless‚ and have not (been) substantiated. I have made submissions and provided evidence (to that effect)‚” he said.
Spokesperson Dennis Bloem said Cope “condemns…Montana’s contempt for the Public Protector’s findings”.
“Her damning report on Prasa implicates him in at least half a dozen acts of maladministration and a host of other things. In one instance‚ he is accused of gross maladministration. He is therefore totally wrong in suggesting that this is ‘just a public show by Madonsela’‚” Bloem said.
“Montana does not see the seriousness of this report. He thinks that this is purely a fiction spun by the Public Protector. His bravado will not hold.”
Bloem at the time said Cope was also considering press charges against Montana.
BDlive also reported that Montana said‚ in an interview with PowerFM‚ that he always acted “in the best interests of the company”.
“I am proud of the enormous work we did for this country. I am proud that‚ from next year‚ South Africans from the townships…will be able to travel on a modern train system. When I joined Prasa‚ its assets were valued at R7bn; today its R40bn. I am not destroying value‚ I’m creating value.”
Source: RDM News Wire.
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