In reply to OFM News’ enquiry, the Provincial Minister of Mobility, Ricardo Mackenzie, said he can confirm that 50 BMW vehicles are parked at the Gene Louw Traffic College for safekeeping and to free up some space at the Government Motor Transport (GMT) facility in Maitland. Not confirming, nor denying that 110 BMWs were procured, he explained that the vehicles were bought towards the end of 2022. “The vehicles were procured towards the end of 2022 from the National RT57 State contract, which is used by all three spheres of government, to replace the existing, ageing fleet and to meet added transport demands.”

#SCProg The Standing Committee on Transport and Public Works conducted an oversight visit to the Gene Louw Traffic College and was briefed on the operations of the College and the use of technology to do traffic law enforcement. pic.twitter.com/7A9LOKnpu2

— WesternCapeProvParl (@WCProvParl) June 1, 2022

Another allegation was each of the vehicles cost the government at least R850 000, costing a total of R94 million for all the vehicles. 

Mackenzie further explained that the vehicles were purchased towards the end of the year to avoid the annual price increases that came into effect in the New Year. “The Department’s GMT Trading Entity, which is responsible for the procurement of fit-for-purpose vehicles for all Western Cape departments, as well as a few national entities, chose to procure the vehicles before the end of the 2022 calendar year in order to avoid the annual price increases that came into effect in the New Year.”

The Gene Louw Traffic College was officially opened on 15 September 1989 and has trained many traffic officers, municipal police officers, examiners of vehicles and examiners for driving licences. Photo: Twitter

He states that after the vehicles were delivered, the process of preparing them for use in the traffic law enforcement space was initiated. “The preparation process entails a number of steps, including fitment of reflective markings and branding, installation of the latest emergency lights and sirens and in-vehicle technology, such as number plate recognition (ANPR) camera solutions for traffic law enforcement purposes.”

The department is yet to embark on a tender process to procure equipment that can be used in the vehicles. “The fitment of any technology that integrates with the electronics in new vehicles must be approved by the manufacturers and BMW advised the department that certain components that had been approved for previous models would no longer meet their standards for retaining their warranty on the new models. This required GMT to embark on a tender process to procure the new fittings, rather than risk losing the warranty,” he added.

“I want to assure the citizens that processes are already well advanced for the fitment of all vehicles and this matter is being treated with the urgency it deserves.”

In conclusion, he says while this delay was unforeseen and unfortunate, the decision to fit the correct equipment, after following the prescribed tender process, cannot be faulted. “I want to assure the citizens that processes are already well advanced for the fitment of all vehicles and this matter is being treated with the urgency it deserves.”

Previously, DA Member of Parliament George Michalakis’ question revealed that in the Free State there were hundreds of brand new vehicles purchased for police stations across the province which have been standing idle for up to a year, waiting to be dispersed. 

About 177 vehicles were waiting to be dispersed while residents and police officers complained about the lack of police vehicles. According to the ministry, eleven vehicles were bought for one of the biggest police stations in the province, Park Road in Bloemfontein. The first five were bought in April 2021, and another six were procured for the station. These vehicles have, however, not been delivered yet. The second biggest purchase was seven police vehicles destined for Welkom, but those have also not been delivered.

OFM News