Is the elusive Matjhabeng municipal fleet new or secondhand, is the burning question.
Some officials, and even politicians, say, unequivocally, the fleet is secondhand.
When vehicles have broken down, they have been sent in for repairs, only to be told the warranties have expired as the vehicles are secondhand. Mechanics at the municipal workshops have noted rust on body work, and paint-over jobs.
Last week Vista reported that the fleet had been attached by the Welkom sheriff after debtors demanded payment from the municipality and this was not honoured.
Tshediso Tlali, spokesperson for the mayor, Thanduloxo Khalipha, says all vehicles in the municipal fleet procured since the beginning of the current mayor’s term of office are new.
“These acquisitions were facilitated through a transversal contract awarded by the national treasury. Our commitment to procuring quality vehicles is unwavering, as they are essential to ensuring the efficient delivery of top-tier services to our community,” says Tlali.
As far as the attached fleet is concerned, Tlali says they want to reassure the community that the mayor is diligently exploring all legal and possible avenues to resolve the matter swiftly and effectively.
Added to these service delivery woes and allegations of a fleet fraudulently acquired and then attached, the municipal labour force is threatening strike action, claiming the mayor uses mafia tactics to rule and regulate them.
Tlali denies this, saying the Matjhabeng Local Municipality values its workforce and they all play a critical role in serving the community.
Piet Botha, DA caucus chairman, says the fact that the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has applied for a protected strike is a sad situation as residents are currently not getting service delivery and that will exacerbate it even more. The DA cannot support Samwu in a strike situation but will support them when employees are harassed by the mayor.
“The municipal manager (MM) is the only person who can talk directly to employees and he must report to the mayor. The rest of senior managers report to the MM and that is it.
“The DA will take this matter up with the speaker, who has an oversight role over the workings of council and obviously administration and the executive, since the Systems Act were amended last year. The DA has also passed a unanimous resolution in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), compelling the provincial government to put Matjhabeng under administration,” says Botha.
Armand Cloete of the FF Plus asks why neither Samwu nor the ANC are committed to rather protecting the rights of residents.
“That should be the focus. The ANC’s co-dependant relationship with unions have created a growing, unhealthy relationship where the administration are now actively engaging in ANC in-fighting.
“In the meantime, the ANC does not fully understand the separation of powers. What we see here is a stand-off between factions within the ANC. In the meantime, residents are the victims of this unhealthy marriage,” says Cloete.
