The Tshwane metro has provided clarity on concerns raised by Centurion residents regarding how funds generated through the disposal of its municipal fleet are being used, and whether they are directly contributing to service delivery improvements in the area.

Residents say the suburb continues to face ongoing service delivery challenges, including ageing water infrastructure that results in frequent water leaks, persistent potholes, and delayed maintenance of streetlights.

They argue that these issues reflect a broader need for improved municipal responsiveness and infrastructure investment.

The concerns come amid questions about whether recent municipal fleet developments are translating into visible improvements on the ground. These include both the expansion of the city’s fleet and the disposal of ageing and redundant vehicles.

On June 5, MMC for Corporate and Shared Services Flora Monama confirmed that the metro had made significant progress in its fleet procurement programme, which is aimed at strengthening frontline service delivery across municipal departments.

Monama said 115 of the 118 vehicles procured during the 2025/26 financial year had already been delivered and deployed. The fleet includes vehicles used for essential services such as infrastructure maintenance, water provision, road marking, and street cleaning.

“The deployment of the vehicles was intended to improve operational capacity and responsiveness across departments. The investment strengthens our ability to respond to community needs while ensuring that municipal resources are utilised efficiently and responsibly.”

The MMC also outlined the city’s disposal of redundant fleet assets, confirming that 194 vehicles were auctioned in March, generating about R10.1-million.

Despite these developments, some residents say they have yet to see a noticeable impact on everyday service delivery.

Doornkloof resident Marius van den Berg expressed frustration, highlighting the gap between the metro’s financial reporting and the realities on the ground.

“We keep hearing about millions generated and new vehicles being deployed, but in our area, the situation remains the same. Water leaks are not fixed quickly, potholes are left unattended for long periods, and streetlights often remain out for weeks.”

Van den Berg stressed that while residents are not necessarily questioning the metro’s financial processes, they want clearer evidence of how these decisions translate into practical improvements. He added that accountability and visibility at the community level are essential.

“If money is being generated, people want to see where it is going in practical terms. It is not enough to hear about funds being generated. Residents want to understand how that ultimately fixes a leaking pipe in their street or ensures potholes are repaired timeously,” he stated.

Michelle Jacobs, a resident of Hennops Park, acknowledged that while fleet expansion is a positive step to improve service delivery, challenges persist.

“You do see new vehicles and announcements about improvements, but the response times in our area still feel slow. Issues are reported and sometimes take too long to be resolved.”

In response to these concerns, mayoral spokesperson Samkelo Mgobozi explained that the disposal of redundant vehicles is part of a broader strategy to improve fleet efficiency while enhancing the city’s financial position.

He confirmed that the R10.1-million generated from the auction of 194 vehicles, as well as the R218 000 from the 12 additional vehicles sold, is deposited into the metro’s general revenue account.

“The revenue generated is not ring-fenced for specific projects but instead forms part of the city’s broader financial resources,” said Mgobozi.

“It supports the implementation of approved capital and operational programmes, including service delivery initiatives, infrastructure maintenance, and municipal operations.”

Mgobozi further clarified that the revenue is not allocated to specific geographic areas. Instead, all regions benefit indirectly through the metro’s overall service delivery framework.

“Residents across all regions, including Centurion, benefit indirectly through the city’s continued ability to fund and deliver services, maintain infrastructure, and implement approved development programmes,” he said.

He explained that funding priorities are determined through the municipality’s budgeting process, which takes into account service delivery needs, infrastructure requirements, and strategic goals across all departments.

While the auction proceeds contribute to the metro’s financial pool, decisions on spending are made as part of the broader municipal budget planning cycle.

Beyond revenue generation, Mgobozi highlighted the operational benefits of disposing of redundant vehicles.

These include reduced maintenance and repair costs for ageing vehicles, lower storage and security expenses, improved utilisation of fleet facilities, enhanced accuracy of fleet asset records, reduced administrative burdens, and better fleet planning.

Mgobozi added that the Tshwane metro continuously assesses its fleet requirements to ensure that service delivery departments have access to suitable operational vehicles.

“Any future acquisitions will be aligned with departmental service delivery requirements and the city’s fleet replacement strategy, with priority given to ensuring frontline service delivery functions are adequately resourced,” he said.

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