Cape Town – The Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) is hoping to appoint forensic investigators after “ghost” workers were identified at the entity.
The issue of ghost workers first came to light when former transport minister Fikile Mbalula revealed that 3 000 people were uncovered by Prasa when it embarked on Operation Ziveze (meaning “show yourself”).
Briefing the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) on Tuesday, acting chief executive Hishaam Emeran said the 3 000 ghost workers referred to staff members who were not verified yet.
“What we found as part of an investigation by security was that there were 2 200 where this related to exceptions. These are not necessarily ghosts,” Emeran ssaid.
He said issues around the 2 200 employees related to qualifications, confirmation of qualities, criminal records as well as ghost workers.
A cyber security expert working for the department, Alexio Papadopulo, said while forensic investigators were yet to be appointed, they had clear cases and a list of criminal charges and case numbers.
Papadopulo said when they traced the so-called ghost workers, they would track their ID numbers and a person would claim that they had never been employed at Prasa.
“When you trace a bank account, you find a syndicate operating and they approach someone and ask if they can open a bank account.
“There were instances where a person opened bank accounts and the cellphone used to manage the account was not done by the bank account holder.
“This shows how deep we go as protection services in analysing the cases,” he said.
Cape Times