×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Prasa boss faces sex rap

A senior Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) executive is facing charges of sexual assault.

The executive, who cannot be named as he has not appeared in court, is accused of sexually harassing a female advocate in the company's legal unit.

Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini confirmed that the complainant reported cases of sexual harassment and crimen injuria at Midrand police station early last month.

The case was then transferred to the Hillbrow police station.

The alleged harassment is believed to have occurred during the meetings the executive had with the complainant last month.

However, Prasa has dismissed the allegations as concocted and a malicious campaign driven by employees who supported former CEO Lucky Montana.

Prasa group strategy officer Sipho Sithole said the organisation was aware of the charges.

He said it viewed the allegations as an attempt to intimidate the executive from carrying out his mandate from the board to clean up Prasa.

Sithole said Prasa also suspected that the complainant, whose name is known to Sowetan, had laid the charges after allegedly trying to claim for work she did not do.

Sithole said that was reflected on the hotel bills the Pretoria-based lawyer had made claims for in Johannesburg and Pretoria.

"Her legal practice is in Pretoria and she was employed by Prasa to be based in Pretoria, and yet she had been claiming hotel accommodation in Pretoria and around Johannesburg, which Prasa had been paying.

"This is outside the terms of her contract and we believe that this has been fraudulently done."

Sithole said the 41-year-old lawyer, who was on a three-year contract, instituted the charges after the executive questioned her about claiming hours in excess of those stipulated in her contract, which are separate from the hotel bills.

Although he could not state the date on which the sexual attacks were alleged to have taken place, the woman claimed they happened during the meetings she had with the executive regarding her resignation.

According to a recent report by public protector Thuli Madonsela, Prasa was riddled with corruption involving wasteful and fruitless expenditure, nepotism and irregular awarding of tenders under Montana's stewardship.

 

xabav@sowetan.co.za

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.