DA continues probe into R1 million Sol Plaatjie mayoral car

DA continues probe into R1 million Sol Plaatjie mayoral car

by Andrew Louw – DA Northern Cape Provincial Leader & Spokesperson of COGHSTA

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Date: 19 June 2018

Release: Immediate

The DA will refer the mushrooming matter of the controversial mayoral vehicle to the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) for further investigation.

This comes after documentation received at a Sol Plaatje council meeting today, confirmed that more than R1 million was spent on a combination of car maintenance on the old SOL 1, the former mayoral vehicle, as well as on car rentals for Mayor Mangaliso Matika. This is in addition to the eventual purchase of an expensive replacement vehicle, an Audi Q7, which cost a further R1 million.

DA councillor, Christopher Phiri, requested the above mentioned report more than a year ago, in order to determine the urgency of the procurement of a new mayoral vehicle for Matika. In the meantime, a Q7 was purchased for Matika, under highly questionable circumstances.

The DA fails to understand why a process to replace the old mayoral vehicle did not commence sooner.

We further need answers as to why a R43 000 rental payment was made for a vehicle for Matika, on a so-called “East London trip”. It also doesn’t make sense as to why it was necessary, on more than one occasion, to rent more than one vehicle for the mayor, on the same dates?

Sol Plaatje must also properly explain why they had to re-advertise the tender for the new mayoral vehicle three times, all the time incurring wasteful and fruitless expenditure. In addition, they must tell us exactly why it was necessary for the mayor to have a panoramic sunroof and a tow bar on his mayoral vehicle and why a more cost effective vehicle was not adequate to meet the mayor’s needs.

It is increasingly clear that Sol Plaatje is not playing open cards with the DA about the past and present mayoral vehicle. and that Sol Plaatje has a lot of explaining to do.

The DA strongly suspects that the entire process relating to the management and procurement of the past and present mayoral vehicles, has been manipulated over a matter of years, to benefit Matika and his allies.

It is as a result of Sol Plaatje’s reckless attitude towards spending that Kimberley residents now face unreasonable tariff hikes.

The DA will continue to probe the matter until we get all the answers.

The ANC cares more about living the high life than it does about ordinary citizens. Only change by a DA-led government will ensure that the needs of residents are placed above the wants of joyriding politicians.

Media Enquiries

Andrew Louw

DA Northern Cape Provincial Leader & Spokesperson of COGHSTA

082 383 6914

Shelley De Witt

Researcher

082 847 1387