Unmasking Ghost Employees At PRASA: A Deep Dive

• The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is currently probing 1,200 alleged ghost employees at Passenger Rail Agency South Africa (PRASA), individuals who are being paid despite not existing.
• Despite over 1,000 employees vanishing from the payroll after PRASA initiated Operation Ziveze, the fraudulent activity persisted, prompting further investigations.
• The SIU stepped in after a proclamation to examine the fraud was issued following state capture investigations.

Tebogo Mokwena, a seasoned current affairs writer with nine years of experience at Briefly News, has extensively covered the intricacies of the criminal justice system and high-profile cases in South Africa. Previously, he worked at Daily Sun, offering unique insights into the nation’s legal landscape.

JOHANNESBURG — Here's the story: The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has uncovered something shocking. It appears that PRASA, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, has been shelling out salaries to over 1,200 employees who may not even exist. Let that sink in for a moment. We're talking about ghost employees—people who are collecting paychecks without actually showing up for work.

PRASA's Struggle with Ghost Workers: A Lingering Issue

According to IOL, the SIU received the green light under Proclamation 153 of 2024 to dig deeper into this issue. This isn’t the first time PRASA has faced allegations of ghost employees. Back in 2021, when Fikile Mbalula was still Transport Minister, an initial investigation revealed that 1,159 employees mysteriously vanished from the payroll after the launch of Operation Ziveze. But here's the kicker: despite this operation, the problem didn’t disappear. Instead, it persisted, prompting the need for another investigation.

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SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago admitted that Operation Ziveze wasn’t executed as effectively as it should have been. The ghost workers are believed to include individuals who have passed away but were never removed from the payroll. In some cases, the banking details of these deceased employees were swapped out for new information, allowing someone else to cash in on their salaries. It’s a scheme that’s both infuriating and deeply concerning.

South Africans Speak Out: The Public Demands Action

On social media platforms like Facebook, South Africans are voicing their frustration. Many are demanding answers about these ghost employees and suspecting that other government departments might also be harboring similar issues. The public outrage is palpable, and people are calling for swift and decisive action.

Denesh Ramdat Govender expressed his frustration, saying:

"We've been hearing about this ever since Mbeki was Minister of Transport, yet nothing substantial has been done. Enough with the talk—let’s see some action."

Raj Govender echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the need for a dedicated task force:

"A serious task team must be formed to ensure there isn’t a single ghost worker left. Not only will this eliminate fraud, but it could also help create real jobs for deserving South Africans."

Molumo MJ highlighted a broader issue, pointing out:

"This isn’t just PRASA. Most state departments are likely dealing with the same problem. It’s a systemic issue that needs urgent attention."

Kevin Pearson expressed his disappointment, labeling the situation as incompetence:

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"It never ends. This is nothing but total incompetence. How can we continue to tolerate this level of fraud?"

Mathandi Mambili took a different approach, suggesting that PRASA's management might hold the key to understanding the scandal:

"The management needs to step up and answer these questions. They’ve been part of this for far too long. Perhaps they can shed some light on what’s really going on."

PRASA Revamps Shosholoza Meyl: A Step Toward Recovery?

In brighter news, Briefly News reported that PRASA has revived its iconic long-distance Shosholoza Meyl railway journeys. The announcement came last December, and PRASA has since resumed popular routes, including the Johannesburg to Durban and Johannesburg to Cape Town journeys. While this is a step forward, it’s clear that PRASA still has a long way to go in addressing the deeper issues within its organization.