DRC: Is the public company Transco a “state scam”?

A public Transco bus in Kinshasa.

Eduardo Soteras / AFP

Text by: Sonia Rolley Follow

6 min

What is happening within Transco, the Congolese public bus transport company?

The Congolese NGO ODEP, published a report denouncing years of mismanagement within this company, even a "state swindle".

She calls for investigations to shed light on the reasons for her poor financial health, while a recovery plan is being drawn up.

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The alarm bells were sounded very early on at Transco.

In September 2014, the audit company KPMG took stock of the situation and pointed out serious management problems, including a structural one: the lack of profitability linked to the low cost of the ticket.

According to a confidential report, at the time, the very young public company still had some 500 buses, of which more than 120 had never been used, but it was already experiencing traceability concerns, among others, the management of stocks, cash or even budget control is not “ 

 ” the report notes.

There are also discrepancies between the announced stocks and their reality.

Worse yet, the most vital spare parts were not ordered.

The result is that Transco must supply itself on a case-by-case basis and locally to maintain the state of its fleet.

Sent to help the creation of the company, "

", the French transport company, will soon slam the door, also denouncing embezzlement in internal notes made public by the press.

A number of buses divided by five

Six years later, there are only a hundred buses in operation.

The state must hand over to the portfolio to buy 440 buses and relaunch the company.

Without prejudging the past management, the current direction points out that the government never paid all the planned subsidies.

She adds that the company has lost more than 70% of its revenue since May 2019 with the construction

, and more since March following the three months of health emergency linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, which would have since prevented any maintenance of the vehicle fleet.

► To read also: Case of grade separations in the DRC: the court declares itself incompetent

Discussions are underway between the government and Transco on the restructuring of the debts of the company, but also of the State towards it and to set up a compensation system.

Among the debts of the company, Transco has not paid employers' social contributions on wages and bonuses for years, which worries the unions.

Management promises that there will be no consequences for the employees.

Salary delays

Transco agents have decided to step up to the plate.

They say they accumulate delays in wages, but also bonuses and benefits for periods ranging from 6 months to two years.

"

", laments Daddy Makambo Libulia of the General Syndicale union.

"

"

Daddy Makambo Libulia from the General Syndicale on the problems at Transco

Sonia rolley

For this trade unionist, management's explanations are not enough to explain the company's poor financial health.

He says he has sent two memorandums for a year to the head of state to denounce embezzlement, demand an audit on the management of the company since 2013 and said since to suffer threats and intimidation.

For its part, management ensures that bonuses and benefits have been paid.

Its director also affirms that he does not recognize Mr. Makambo Libulia as president of the union delegation of his company.

The union says it contested the dismissal of the latter by Transco with the labor inspectorate, considering the reasons fallacious.

►Also read: DRC: suspicions of fraud around Transco, the public transport company

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