The acting CEO of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) is accused of upping his own salary to more than four times the agreed amount.
The Sunday Times reported that Collins Letsoalo, who was made acting CEO by Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters in July 2016, was supposed to be paid R1.3 million a year. The newspaper reported that Letsoalo demanded that the state-owned entity pay him the R5.9 million package that controversial former CEO Lucky Montana was paid, plus have a chauffeur-driven car and company cellphone with unlimited calls. He reportedly fired a Prasa executive who was reluctant to accede to his demands. Letsoalo was seconded to Prasa from the Department of Transport to sort out the entity after the contracts debacle which led to Montana's departure.
The minister reportedly refused to authorise the higher payment.
A Prasa spokeswoman told the Sunday Times that the increase was approved by the Prasa board but an unnamed board member told the newspaper that the board had not approved it.
It's not clear if Letsoalo actually received the increase.