Perceived purchase has EFF hot under collar

The burning issue surrounding the perceived purchase of an official vehicle of an estimated R1,3 million that is being laid at the door of Capricorn District Municipality (CDM) Executive Mayor John Mpe has the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on the council hot under the collar. To an extent that a motion has been tabled to have the recent reported acquisition, seen to have been without the required approval, debated while the party is intending to have it probed at highest level.
Since the matter has been brought to Polokwane Observer’s attention it was established that an official vehicle had been purchased for mayoral use, but the brand and make of the car didn’t align with the available information.
It was learnt that EFF caucus leader in CDM Council, Oscar Motolla moved for a motion on Friday to discuss the suspected purchase of a white Mercedes-Benz Viano V250. It is being seconded by the party’s whip in the council, Ronnie Malema who informed Polokwane Observer that Council Speaker Monica Mohale had been notified of a motion to have the issue discussed during the next ordinary council meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

In a copy of the motion reference is made to the intention to, among others, discuss the acquisition of a new mayoral vehicle, processes followed in procuring it, what happened to the old mayoral car and the resolution in regard to the purchase thereof.
Malema said the matter was being investigated by the EFF’s legal office and upon completion of the investigation it would be raised with the Public Protector. Malema pointed out that they have learnt with surprise of the acquisition of the vehicle, considered to have been done without council approval and to be unsuitable to hazardous terrain and dirt roads in the vastly rural district. According to him it has been raised in a meeting of CDM Council’s corporate services portfolio committee last week.They had drawn up the motion to get to the gist of what the EFF considered as an urgent matter, Malema stressed.
CDM Media Liaison Officer Moffat Senyatsi confirmed that a new vehicle was indeed procured for the official use of the Executive Mayor but that it is not a Mercedes-Benz Viano.
“We are aware of the motion and the matter in question will serve in a council meeting for discussion and resolution. So let’s allow council to deliberate on it and take position first and we will discuss it after council has applied itself to the matter,” Senyatsi added. Sen­yatsi could not confirm whether the vehicle had been procured before the end of the 2018/19 financial year or thereafter when new cost containment measures proclaimed on 7 June 2019 came into effect. Several attempts to reach Mpe for comment were unsuccessful.

Story: YOLANDE NEL
>>observer.yolande@gmail.com
BARRY VILJOEN
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