The government has been harshly criticised by opposition parties for the “reckless” use of taxpayers’ funds to purchase locomotives they say are unsuitable for South African railway lines.
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) recently imported 13 brand new diesel locomotives to the value of R600-million which are part of a larger order of 70 locomotives valued at of R3.5-billion from Spanish manufacturer Vossloh Espaa.
However‚ the Democratic Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters party say the locomotives are unsuitable for South African railway tracks.
According to DA transport spokesman Manny de Freitas‚ before the locomotives arrived in the country‚ senior railway engineers warned Prasa that they were too high for the local railway lines on long distance routes for which they are intended.
The new trains have a roof height of 4.264mm while the maximum height for diesel locomotives for local use may not exceed 3.965mm‚ according to De Freitas.
“Engineers say the locomotives could damage the overhead electrical cables on the country’s rail lines‚” he said.
He asserted that Prasa had misled parliament on the dimensions of the new locomotives.
Earlier this year‚ De Freitas added‚ the DA had submitted a question in parliament to transport minister Dipuo Peters‚ asking why the locomotives ordered differed in dimension from the requirements.
The minister had replied that “the new locomotives are not different in any form…the new locomotives are within the required scale”.
“Clearly the minister has misled parliament and been loose with the truth with regard to the dimensions of the new trains‚” De Freitas said in a statement.
In a statement yesterday‚ the EFF condemned the government for what it called the “reckless use of taxpayers’ funds” in the procurement of the “defective” locomotives‚ the arrival of which‚ it added‚ had been welcomed with pomp and ceremony by the transport minister.
“The EFF is concerned and disturbed by serious disregard of prudent management of taxpayers funds by the Department of Transport and its related entities like Prasa. We have reason to suspect that bribes may have been exchanged in the cheerful procurement of these ‘defective’ locomotives from a company that was found guilty of price collusion in Germany in 2012.”
The EFF called for Prasa CEO Lucky Montana to be suspended without pay while a full investigation was undertaken.
It said it would ask the public protector to investigate whether these contracts awarded by Prasa to the Vossloh Group were improper and in violation of the provisions of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act‚ 2004‚ and whether any government official or Prasa official had benefited improperly and unlawfully from awarding the contracts. — RDM News Wire
Parties weigh in on ‘defective’ locomotives
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) recently imported 13 brand new diesel locomotives to the value of R600-million which are part of a larger order of 70 locomotives valued at of R3.5-billion from Spanish manufacturer Vossloh Espaa.
However‚ the Democratic Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters party say the locomotives are unsuitable for South African railway tracks.
According to DA transport spokesman Manny de Freitas‚ before the locomotives arrived in the country‚ senior railway engineers warned Prasa that they were too high for the local railway lines on long distance routes for which they are intended.
The new trains have a roof height of 4.264mm while the maximum height for diesel locomotives for local use may not exceed 3.965mm‚ according to De Freitas.
“Engineers say the locomotives could damage the overhead electrical cables on the country’s rail lines‚” he said.
He asserted that Prasa had misled parliament on the dimensions of the new locomotives.
Earlier this year‚ De Freitas added‚ the DA had submitted a question in parliament to transport minister Dipuo Peters‚ asking why the locomotives ordered differed in dimension from the requirements.
The minister had replied that “the new locomotives are not different in any form…the new locomotives are within the required scale”.
“Clearly the minister has misled parliament and been loose with the truth with regard to the dimensions of the new trains‚” De Freitas said in a statement.
In a statement yesterday‚ the EFF condemned the government for what it called the “reckless use of taxpayers’ funds” in the procurement of the “defective” locomotives‚ the arrival of which‚ it added‚ had been welcomed with pomp and ceremony by the transport minister.
“The EFF is concerned and disturbed by serious disregard of prudent management of taxpayers funds by the Department of Transport and its related entities like Prasa. We have reason to suspect that bribes may have been exchanged in the cheerful procurement of these ‘defective’ locomotives from a company that was found guilty of price collusion in Germany in 2012.”
The EFF called for Prasa CEO Lucky Montana to be suspended without pay while a full investigation was undertaken.
It said it would ask the public protector to investigate whether these contracts awarded by Prasa to the Vossloh Group were improper and in violation of the provisions of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act‚ 2004‚ and whether any government official or Prasa official had benefited improperly and unlawfully from awarding the contracts. — RDM News Wire
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