R1.4m spent on cars for mayor
THE Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has launched an investigation into how the Nquthu municipality mayor bought two mayoral cars worth R1.4 million, apparently without a council resolution.
This was according to the ANC in that municipality.
The municipality, under the IFP, falls under Umzinyathi district municipality which has a seat in Dundee. Nquthu is one of the rural towns.
The investigation came after the ANC raised the issue with Cogta MEC Sipho Hlomuka. The ANC caucus leader in the municipality, Lucky Moloi, yesterday said that his party was surprised when it found out that the mayor had bought the cars without the council's knowledge or approval, calling it wasteful expenditure.
“We know for sure there was no council resolution to buy these cars, so we wanted this to be investigated and we are happy that the MEC has appointed a team to look into it. The mayor must produce that resolution and tell us where and when that meeting took place,” said Moloi.
Explaining the normal procedure at council about purchasing vehicles for the mayor, Moloi said first there had to be a budget, then the speaker had to issue all councillors with notice letters inviting them to a council meeting, along with the agenda. He alleged that this did not took place.
“Even if we did not attend the council meeting, we must have received letters notifying us about the meeting with items including this one on the agenda. That's why we are saying there was never a meeting at all. It is also questionable why the mayor would buy cars while there were only 20 days left to the election. How does he know that his party will win or how does he know he would be still be a mayor after elections?“
The mayor, Zama Shabalala, confirmed and defended the purchase of his mayoral cars. He said there was a need to buy the two cars, adding that the total budget was R1.4 million.
He said the main car was a Toyota Fortuner and a Toyota double cab was bought as a back-up vehicle, adding that he was not bothered by ANC “noise” about the vehicles.
“My back-up car was 10 years old … so it needed to be changed. My main car exceeded the required kilometre limit, so it had to be changed. I can confirm there was a council meeting which took the resolution so I am not bothered by ANC noise because they do not attend council meetings sometimes,” said the mayor.