Standoff over 41 Emfuleni vehicles
New inspections of 41 long-stored Emfuleni municipal vehicles at a Unitas Park workshop reignite a years-long R2.7m payment dispute and accountability questions.
VEREENIGING – An ongoing dispute over dozens of municipal vehicles stored at a private workshop in Unitas Park is back in the spotlight after evaluators returned to the site last week for a new inspection and valuation.
The vehicles belong to the Emfuleni Local Municipality and have been standing at Protea Hydraulics and Engineering amid a legal dispute and payment disagreement between the municipality and the service provider.
Tommy Steyn, owner of the workshop, claims the municipality owes him approximately R2.7m for repair and hydraulic services rendered. He says the vehicles will not be released until the full amount has been paid.41 municipal vehicles are still on his premises.
These include fire engines, refuse removal trucks, compactors, cherry pickers, bakkies, and vehicles from Metsi-a-Lekoa, as well as the municipality’s electrical department.
Some of the vehicles have been standing at the workshop for more than eight years.
Valuation process
Steyn confirmed that a new team of evaluators visited the site last week to inspect and assess the vehicles.
One of the evaluators told Vaalweekblad the purpose of the visit is to compile a report on the condition of the vehicles, after which further discussions may follow.
But Steyn says this is not the first time the vehicles have been inspected and claims previous teams raised questions about documentation and the readiness of the vehicles.
He said batteries were removed from some vehicles and stored separately to prevent damage, and that they were reinstalled for the purposes of the inspection.
Stakeholder concerns
Representatives of the Vaal Business Community (VBC) were also present during the site visit.
Klippies Kritzinger, chief executive officer of the VBC, criticised the ongoing situation. “This indicates serious administrative negligence. These vehicles should not have been standing for years,” he said.
He believes the matter may require intervention beyond municipal level to ensure resolution and accountability.
At the time of going to print, the municipality had not yet responded to a request for comment on the current valuation process.
