The Tshwane metro is planning to auction over 800 city-owned fleet vehicles in a move aimed at generating revenue and strengthening asset management.

The auction is scheduled to take place online in February.

The Tshwane Mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, said the vehicles have become too expensive for the city to keep and maintain, making it financially prudent to dispose of them rather than leaving them idle at municipal depots.

“We have identified over 800 fleet vehicles that belong to the city that we will place on auction to generate revenue,” said Moya.

“These vehicles are too expensive for the city to keep. Instead of leaving them stationed at our various depots, we will make them available to the second-hand goods market.”

MMC for Corporate and Shared Services Kholofelo Morodi confirmed that the auction forms part of a broader strategy to improve service delivery efficiency while ensuring responsible financial management.

“The metro will proceed with the planned auction of approximately 800 municipal fleet vehicles as part of a broader effort to strengthen asset management, improve service delivery efficiency and generate additional revenue for the city,” Morodi said.

She explained that the vehicles identified for disposal are largely aged, high-mileage units that have exceeded their optimal economic life cycle.

Morodi said many are either no longer operational or require frequent and costly repairs, making them unreliable for service delivery.

“Their removal from the active fleet will reduce downtime caused by breakdowns and improve overall fleet availability for frontline services,” Morodi said.

According to Morodi, a combination of extended vehicle retention, budgetary pressures and the prioritisation of frontline services over the years resulted in some vehicles being kept beyond their recommended replacement periods.

She said rising maintenance costs and reduced reliability have now made disposal the most cost-effective option in line with sound asset management principles.

“Revenue generated from the auction will be paid into the city’s revenue stream and managed in accordance with the approved municipal financial management framework, with funds supporting broader service delivery priorities through the budgeting and planning process.”

Morodi also assured residents that the disposal of these vehicles will not negatively affect municipal operations or service delivery.

She stated that over the past six financial years, a fleet strategy has been implemented that prioritises replacing vehicles through outright purchases that include warranties and maintenance plans.

“Most of the vehicles now earmarked for disposal have already been replaced through this process, ensuring continuity of service delivery,” Morodi said.

She added that replacement vehicles are selected to be cost-effective, fuel-efficient and fit for purpose, with warranties and maintenance plans that reduce long-term operating expenses and improve reliability.

To prevent similar challenges in future, Morodi said the metro has strengthened its fleet governance framework through lifecycle-based replacement planning, enhanced preventative maintenance programmes, improved asset tracking and utilisation monitoring, and regular condition assessments.

“The final value of the vehicles will be determined by an appointed auctioneer based on their condition and market demand, with figures to be confirmed by Group Finance once valuations are concluded,” she said.

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