Auctioneers say the cars are overpriced

they reach their distance limit.

The department is supposed to have a yearly disposal plan, but sources said there was no disposal plan with some vehicles dating back as far as 1993.

However the department insisted the cars in the depot only arrived last December.

Acting transport spokeswoman Ntombizomzi Bala said there were some vehicles that may have been there before last year but did not say when.

“The vehicles that are standing in our premises would have arrived after the last auction in December 2015 save for those that we were not able to auction off at the latter auction,” said Bala.

One bidder who tendered to dispose of the vehicles and who wanted to remain anonymous said he was not happy with how the system worked.

“We want these vehicles as much as government wants the money to buy a new fleet but their prices are high.

“We don’t make money here and when we told them that these vehicle had no value the officials refused to sell us cheaper,” said the bidder.

This is confirmed by a department source who said the longer the vehicle was in their garage depot, the more value it lost. — simthandilef@dispatch. / bonganif@dispatch.co.za