iLembe District Municipality refutes claims that vehicle fleet had been impounded

The iLembe District Municipality has refuted rumours circulating on WhatsApp groups that its entire fleet, including water tankers, had been impounded after alleged non-payment to a private service provider.

Further claims were made that no maintenance had been performed on the vehicles, with the municipality allegedly renting only two bakkies to service the iLembe district.

iLembe municipal manager Sazi Mbhele dismissed the rumours as unfounded.

“For more than three years the municipality had a contract with a private service provider to supply the municipality with 106 vehicles. This included 30 water tankers and 76 bakkies,” said Mbhele.

Contracts came to an end for the supply of water tankers at the end of June, while the contract for the supply of bakkies came to an end at the end of September.

The service provider was required, as per an arrangement, to assess the condition of vehicles with the water tankers due for collection from July 1.

“They did not do this on time. They only began assessing their vehicles in September, so the tankers seen parked on our premises are theirs. People seen inspecting the tankers are their assessors, not impounding staff,” said Mbhele.

He added although overdue, the vehicles should be removed soon.

The bakkies previously provided are also currently undergoing assessment, and once done, will be collected by the service provider.

Mbhele said the municipality was in the process of insourcing its fleet within the next two years, stepping away from leasing vehicles.

“As a start, we have procured 65 bakkies from Isuzu. Delivery from the manufacturing plant in Gqeberha is expected to be completed by the end of this month.”

He said they are plugging the gap in the interim with 30 hired vehicles, therefore repudiating the claim that only two bakkies were in service. Thirty-four water tankers have been operational since July.

ActionSA PR councillor for Ward 3, Aresh Singh, said residents had been battling with water supply issues across KwaDukuza, especially in outlying areas where there was no piped supply.

“We’re relying on water tankers,” he said, adding there had been fewer tankers doing the rounds.

On Monday, Singh highlighted that Shakaville residents had taken to protest action along Haysom Road in KwaDukuza after being without water for a month.

While the impounding of vehicles claims proved to be untrue, there is cause for concern, iLembe Democratic Alliance caucus leader, Krsna Sing reported.

“Operations at iLembe has come to a standstill. This comes after council extended the fleet contract in March for a further nine months, which the administration decided to terminate, leaving iLembe with no bakkies and the municipality is now forced to hire bakkies in the interim,” he said.

According to Sing, the iLembe community which encompasses the municipalities of KwaDukuza, Maphumulo, Ndwedwe and Mandeni, can expect delays or no service until the matter is finalised.

“At this stage, no timeframe has been given. It is also of concern that the delivery of the new bakkies ordered from Isuzu have been delayed because of specification issues,” he said.

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