The DA has written to the Head of City Fleet, Malcom Joshua requesting accurate information regarding the number of employees that get to take home municipal vehicles and the positions that they hold .
We posed this question following numerous incidents and allegations of municipal vehicles being abused for and used for personal trips. Last month a municipal employee was caught drunk and sleeping in a municipal vehicle at a shopping mall parking lot. The DA is also aware of allegations of some connected shop stewards being allocated top-of-the-range unbranded city vehicles for keeping and personal use.
We have called for this Information to be provided before Wednesday, 21 February 2024. Should the city fail again to make this information available, the DA will have no other option but seek to obtain this information through the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) which will be directed to the Municipal Manager, Musa Mbhele.
The DA notes with concern the city’s attempt to hide the number of employees that get to take home municipal vehicles and the positions that they hold.
The DA had previously submitted questions in terms of Section 27 of the council rules of order, which stipulates that any Councillor may submit a question concerning matters related to the effective performance or administration of the municipality’s functions and the exercise of its powers, in order to solicit intentions, explanations or information.
Among the questions the DA asked was;
- How many take-home vehicles and who or what positions do the drivers hold for the period 1 July 2021 – 1 December 2023? Please specify vehicle details.
- How many dedicated vehicles and who or what positions do the drivers hold for the period 1 July 2021 – 1 December 2023? Please specify vehicle details.
To both questions, the city provided vague and insufficient answers, raising serious suspicions about the use of the city’s fleet. In its response, the city deliberately evaded giving any figure or indication of the number of employees that take-home vehicles.
The city’s fleet belongs to the people of eThekwini and not to the officials or the ANC. Residents deserve to know how the city’s fleet operates, managed and helps in bringing services to the people.
The DA will fight for transparency, accountability and efficient service delivery that the ratepayers deserve.