Herbert Prinsloo dedicated a quarter of a century of love to Africa’s most luxurious train. When he began to suspect that friends of Transnet were being handed free trips he was investigated, charged and kicked to the pavement. Now, inspired by the courage of whistleblowers testifying at the Zondo Commission, he has come forward to tell his story.

The luxurious Blue Train derailed for a second time in three months; first on 8 November last year at Union Station near Germiston and again on 16 January at the Salvokop trainyard in Pretoria. No passengers were on board in both incidents.

Blue Train personnel, who are unwilling to be named, paint a picture of deterioration that has been going on for years.

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A former train manager, Herbert Prinsloo, was dismissed in 2017 after sounding the alarm in 2016 about the hazardous condition of the Blue Train and informing a senior Transnet official at head office about free trips being offered to friends of Transnet executives.

Three other line managers — who are too afraid of repercussions to be named — were investigated, charged and ultimately dismissed or suspended indefinitely.

Prinsloo said the state-owned enterprise had claimed it did not have the funds to carry out repairs.

It was only when he...

Read Full Story: https://mg.co.za/news/2022-01-23-zondo-whistleblower-backs-dismissed-blue-tra...