Imbabazane Municipality Mayor Phindile Strydom has been accused of a ‘cover-up’. This was after the mayoral vehicle, a Range Rover Evoque, was involved in a crash between Mooi River and Nottingham Road. Mrs Strydom was not in the vehicle at the time, but says that her driver and bodyguard were. The driver sustained minor injuries while the bodyguard was not hurt.
The vehicle was extensively damaged. These are the only details that Mrs Strydom and the councillors who are accusing her of a cover up agree on. Umtshezi Municipality Inkatha Freedom Party Councillor Mthembeni Majola and Imbabazane Municipality Democratic Alliance Councillor Alfred Sandile Ndlovu have disputed Mrs Strydom’s version of the accident. Mrs Strydom insists that the accident took place on Friday, January 9 during the late evening.
“My driver took me to the airport in Durban as I was attending the African National Congress celebrations in Cape Town. On the way back from Durban between the Mooi River and Nottingham Road areas they had an accident,” she said. However, both Mr Majola and Mr Ndlovu dispute this.  Mr Ndlovu reports that the accident occurred during the early hours of Saturday, January 10 and Mr Majola says it was on Sunday, the 11th at about 2am.
After making inquiries with police for an official accident report, the Estcourt News was referred to three police stations, but no response has been received. Mr Majola further claims that the bodyguard was speeding and under the influence of alcohol.
“The Mayor is now trying to protect herself and the bodyguard after this accident. I have confirmed that the vehicle was towed away on Sunday at 2am with one man in the vehicle. The vehicle was then towed by a local breakdown at about 6.30pm. It was hidden and instructions were given not to show it to anybody,” said Mr Majola.
He went to the local breakdown company where he found the vehicle under a green cover. Mr Majola has called on the relevant departments in government to investigate. Meanwhile Imbabazane’s councillor Mr Ndlovu says that no mention was made of the accident during a council meeting last Tuesday, January 13.
He asks why the mayoral vehicle was being used in Mrs Strydom’s absence and said that the person responsible for the accident should pay for the cost of repairs as well as the bill for the hired vehicle, which is currently being used. Mrs Strydom has refuted these statements, dismissing it as a smear campaign to “paint my name bad.” “Were they at the accident scene? The councillors should do their research first before making allegations like this. They are not concerned about the driver or me. It is not human,” she commented.
Mrs Strydom says that an assessor’s report is being awaited and emphasised that the correct procedures will be followed.
“We have had accidents before, the Deputy Mayor’s car crashed in Connor Street and all the necessities were followed, like I am going to do. There is not hassle, so I don’t know why people got hyper,” added Mrs Strydom.