The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa says it found no evidence that it directly paid alleged gang figures or companies they controlled during the reconstruction of Cape Town’s Central Line.

PRASA chief executive Hishaam Emeran presented the findings to Parliament’s Select Committee on Public Infrastructure on Monday.

The investigation followed reports that companies allegedly linked to suspected gang boss Ralph Stanfield and his wife, Nicole Johnson, may have benefited from security subcontracts.

Stanfield and Johnson face several criminal charges. The allegations against them have not yet been tested at trial.

PRASA appointed Ningiza Horner Attorneys and advocate Siyabulela Mapoma to examine alleged irregular subcontracting, improper influence, governance failures and criminal infiltration.

Emeran said investigators reviewed procurement and contractual documents and approached 14 people for interviews or written responses.

The probe found no direct contractual relationship between PRASA and alleged organised crime figures.

It also found no documentary evidence that PRASA instructed contractors to appoint specific subcontractors or directly transferred money to gang-linked entities.

Emeran described the central allegations as unsubstantiated.

Key evidence was not examined

The investigation faced several limitations.

Devices seized from PRASA’s former security head could not be examined because they formed part of a separate police investigation.

Video footage referenced in earlier reporting was not provided to investigators.

City of Cape Town councillors and officials were also not interviewed, while one contractor declined to participate.

AmaBhungane managing partner Sam Sole criticised the findings, saying the investigation did not properly address the original allegations.

He said the publication had not claimed that PRASA directly contracted or paid organised crime figures.

Parliament questions governance failures

Committee chairperson Frederik Badenhorst questioned why the report proposed 10 governance reforms if PRASA’s systems had functioned properly.

He said the recommendations pointed to serious weaknesses within the rail agency.

Emeran responded that PRASA’s contracts were audited annually and that improved audit outcomes showed stronger checks were being introduced.

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has separately ordered a forensic investigation into allegations involving more than R1 billion in security contracts.

A second company will also examine PRASA’s other active security contracts.