POLOKWANE – Mayor John Mpe has handed over 34 service delivery vehicles to various municipal strategic business units to strengthen the city’s capacity to deliver efficient and responsive services.

The handover took place at the old Peter Mokaba Stadium last Wednesday, which Mpe described as a decisive intervention showing that the administration prioritises action on the ground.

Shift away from borrowed fleet

Addressing guests, Mpe said the municipality had, for nearly a decade, relied on borrowed fleets from private companies.

“Since we came into office, we decided that the city must acquire its own fleet.

“We used to borrow from various companies, but now we are investing in our own equipment, including graders and cherry pickers, to ensure our employees can perform their duties effectively,” he said.

Vehicles to support key services

The newly acquired vehicles will support essential services such as road maintenance, repairing water leaks, waste management, by-law enforcement and infrastructure upkeep, ensuring operations continue without interruption.

More vehicles expected soon

Mpe announced that an additional 21 vehicles are expected to be delivered between April and May.

These will include units for security and by-law enforcement, traffic sedans, honey suckers, a low-bed truck with a trailer and a tractor for grass cutting.

He described the fleet as critical tools for improving efficiency and service delivery, urging municipal workers to take responsibility for their upkeep.

“We have entrusted these resources to you, and we know you will use them with pride to serve our people better,” he said.

R40m investment in municipal fleet

Mpe revealed that R40m has been allocated over three years for the fleet, with plans to expand further by introducing buses under the Leeto La Polokwane initiative.

“The move to purchase our own equipment has already saved the municipality about R3m annually, which was previously spent on hiring equipment,” he added.

He concluded that older vehicles will be auctioned once they reach the end of their operational lifespan, with proceeds reinvested into acquiring new equipment.