OFM News received information that an ML Mercedes Benz, previously used by the Letweleputswa District Municipal Mayor, Sebenzile Ngangelizwe, has been parked at the same spot in the garage of the municipality for years. This allegedly followed after the car was involved in an accident in the Eastern Cape which led to many questions. 

The spokesperson for the municipality, Khaya Mqeke, confirms in an answer to a media enquiry that the car was indeed in an accident. He says the car was initially bought and used by Ngangelizwe as an official vehicle. Mqeke says the car was covered by the insurance. It has been fixed after the accident. 

In the meantime, a new car has been bought for the mayor. He says the car had to be replaced in accordance with the asset management policy that dictates that a municipal car that exceeds 400 000km, should not be used. He says the maintenance of the car would also be too expensive to use it as part of the municipality’s fleet. It, however, seems that the municipality did try to get rid of the car by trying to auction it off, but that did not pan out. Mqeke said the municipality is looking into a possible trade-in agreement as the auctioning did not work. No explanation was given why the auction was not successful. 

He says a process to trade in the car was started but got interrupted by the lockdown level as part of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the troubles with the car, the municipality indicated that the car can only be written off by the insurance company and not the municipality. It is, however, not clear what the policy dictates should happen to cars exceeding the maximum kilometres.

OFM News