LYDENBURG – “As far as we are aware the mayoral car is only utilised for the mayor’s official trips and purposes.”
Thaba Chweu Municipality (TCM) recently denied allegations that the mayoral vehicle is apparently being misused in areas other than that of its official intend.
A source within the municipality said that Cllr Michael Ncongwane was frequently spotted travelling around town in the mayoral vehicle.
The original vehicle, the black Mercedes Benz ML, has apparently been in for repairs at a dealership during which TCM was awarded a courtesy car. During its repairs a white C200 Mercedes Benz was being utilised as the mayoral vehicle.
“Not only is he driving himself around town, the acting chief traffic officer, Mr Vusi Mdluli is also often seen driving the car. It is not clear why Mdluli is driving this car as he is supposed to be managing the traffic department instead of ferrying the mayor around town.
It is also alleged that he drives to and from his house in Graskop with the said vehicle,” the source told the newspaper.
Not so says TCM: “Mdluli ferries the executive mayor to where he has to perform his duties as required, whether in Graskop or Nelspruit. As chief of traffic it is his responsibility to make sure that the mayor is driven safely.
In the event that that there is no driver, he must provide one.The position of the driver has been advertised and we are awaiting the finalisation of the normal recruitment processes. Mdluli is still running the department of traffic in an effective way and the municipality has never received any complaint or concern whatsoever.”
According the sources, only the official driver or bodyguard of the mayor is allowed to drive the vehicle. “The car is also supposed to be parked at Disaster Management by night and fetched from this department each morning to collect the mayor at home.
This is not the case, as the car is frequently seen parked at Ncongwane’s house. It is not a mayoral vehicle anymore, much rather a family- and friend-ferrying taxi.”
Deputy chairman of the DA Mpumalanga, Ms Sonja Boshoff, said if the allegations were true, it came down to a gross misuse of privileges for personal gain.
“A mayoral vehicle is a luxury that this municipality can sorely afford and therefore the mayor as “first citizen” of Thaba Chweu should set an example by utilising this vehicle for business purposes only.
It is irresponsible of the mayor to expect the overtaxed citizens of Thaba Chweu to pay for his luxuries. Public representatives are elected to serve the people of a municipality and not vice versa.
To this end the DA will submit questions to the mayor requesting him to provide the council with records of his logbook, fuel requisitions and the conditions as set out by Mercedes for the loan of the courtesy vehicle.
Questions will also be tabled as to why the Mercedes Benz ML250 is in for repairs.”
She said an explanation had to be given on the allegations made regarding the utilisation of the vehicle by Mdluli to drive between Graskop and Lydenburg.
TCM confirmed that the courtesy car had been returned. “The black ML for the executive mayor is still up and running and it is still used by the executive mayor. The other vehicle was a courtesy car when the Black ML was taken in for service.
Union Motors did not have spares and they arranged for a courtesy car while they were still waiting for the spares for the black ML. Currently the white Mercedes Benz has been returned to Union Motors.”
TCM also stated that a logbook was kept for the vehicle. “It is monitored like any other logbook within Thaba Chweu Local Municipality.”
