Autism South Africa is excited to announce that, through our holding in the Khiphunyawo Rail Consortium, we are part of the 3 winning B-BBEE
consortia that have secured the R51 billion rolling stock supply contract with
Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) over the next 10 years. We are so
excited!
“THE board of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa
(Prasa) has selected three groups to participate in the broad-based black
economic empowerment (BEE) component of the company’s R51bn fleet renewal
programme. The initiative is part of plans to modernise South Africa’s commuter
rail system as well as stimulate the country’s rail engineering sector.
There are few household names disclosed as beneficiaries of
what is one of the country’s largest empowerment programmes.
The companies and beneficiaries of the empowerment programme
appear to be largely black and female, while many of the beneficiaries included
disabled trusts and nonprofit organisations with a focus on skills development
programmes for disabled people and black youth. The closure of the empowerment
selection process is an important milestone for Prasa’s fleet renewal
programme, and leaves just the shareholder agreements between the winning
partners and the finalisation of the contract with Gibela Rail before the
programme begins coach production.
Prasa’s empowerment partner selection process came under
attack last year from the Black Business Council. The umbrella body’s general
secretary, Sandile Zungu, said allowing Prasa to choose BEE partners was
"dangerous" and that it fed into "the stereotype that BEE is
about handouts".
Neither could Black Business Council CEO Xolani Qubeka, who
was a bidder in the BEE process but was not selected.
Two of the three winning consortia are Khipunyawo Rail,
which consists of SA Freight Logistics and Autism SA; and Community Rail
Services, which is made up of a "number of people with disabilities, black
female youth, Parmtro Investments and Kaelo Investments", Prasa said.”
Taken from: Few big names among groups chosen for Prasa
renewal project
BY NICKY SMITH, 02 AUGUST 2013, 06:24 on BDLive.co.za
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