Cape Town – The CEO of Transnet Freight Rail Sizakele Mzimela says her departure from theorganisation is a personal decision.
Mzimela conveyed her resignation to the staff through a letter on Thursday morning.
This came as Transnet faces increasing calls for a management overhaul.
[Media Statement] @ReliableTFR Chief Executive, Ms Sizakele Mzimela, will be leaving the company at the end of October 2023. Ms Mzimela joined TFR – the biggest operating division of Transnet – in April 2020.
Transnet has appointed Russell Baatjies as acting TFR CE with effect… pic.twitter.com/XNGDRyAbju— Transnet SOC Ltd (@follow_transnet) October 5, 2023
Just a few hours later, she made a presentation to the mining industry at the Joburg Indaba in Sandton.
Sizakele Mzimela, Chief Executive, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), gives a keynote address on how TFR is restoring infrastructure and increasing capacity on its rail networks at the Joburg Indaba. #mining #JoburgIndaba #TFRCares pic.twitter.com/SwtCBiox74
— Transnet Freight Rail (@ReliableTFR) October 5, 2023
According to News24, Mzimela was reluctant to discuss her resignation, save to say:
“It’s a personal choice. When things change, you decide whether you fit in or don’t fit in and whether you align or don’t align. And I will leave it at that,” the report quoted her as saying.
Mzimela expressed frustration with the challenges facing the rail business, such as a shortage of locomotives and underinvestment in infrastructure, the report said.
She said that the shortage of locomotives is due to difficulties in procuring spares from the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation, which is embroiled in a state capture scandal involving kickbacks to Gupta companies.
Mzimela emphasised the need for tools and solutions to address these issues and their negative impact on the economy.
She is set to resign at the end of October, concluding her three-year tenure as the head of Transnet Freight Rail. Her departure comes shortly after the resignations of Transnet Group CEO Portia Derby and CFO Nonkululeko Dlamini.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
