The DA in eThekwini strongly rejects the sudden hostility and refusal to cooperate by the city after we blew the lid on the R2,9 million wasted on white elephant street sweepers. Recently the DA unearthed this wasteful expenditure dating back to 2016 and immediately demanded answers from the city’s Head of Fleet, Malcom Joshua.
Initially he’d promised to furnish us with answers. However, after unexplained delays, and in a sudden refusal to cooperate he indicated that he will no longer be giving us the written replies, but instead, will be handing them over to the Speaker.
Instead of providing us with answers, the city has rushed to the media to claim that the three street sweepers in question have been in use since purchased – yet they are unable to provide any proof of this.
While the ANC-EFF coalition’s instinct is to run away from accountability and towards the media where they hope to simply shout the loudest, the DA stand firm in our position that these costly machines have merely been parked to collect dust as backed by our first-hand, physical findings as well our findings, through credible sources, that the machines are also the incorrect spec for the city’s streets. Furthermore, we also maintain that no staff have been trained to operate the machines.
The series of events is telling, from the city’s delay to provide answers to questions the DA has put forward to now refusing to co-operate with us, down to a misleading article where they’ve also provided no proof.
The DA WILL NOT allow this matter to be swept aside just so that the ANC-EFF coalition in eThekwini can continue down its path of reckless, wasteful and thoughtless abuse of taxpayers’ money.
We will continue our pursuit for answers in this matter.