DURBAN – Despite refusing to put forward a DA motion prohibiting new cars, eThekwini municipality denies rumours that new vehicles will be bought for the mayoral fleet.
The municipality issued a statement warning the public to be wary of rumors. “eThekwini Municipality will not be purchasing new mayoral vehicles and the public is urged not to be misled by mischievous rumour mongers,” said eThekwini Municipality Head of Communications, Tozi Mthethwa. According to Mthethwa, a conditional assessment is done and a compelling reason must be found before a request for a new mayoral vehicle is processed.
But Nicole Graham of the DA reported that an emergency council meeting was called on September 13, at Durban City Hall to put forward a motion to prohibit any new cars from being bought. ” We were trying to pre-empt the purchase of new vehicles, but our motion was not allowed to be put forward,” said Graham who asked, “if it wasn’t their intention to purchase new vehicles, why did they deny the motion?”
According to Graham, the ANC has made a pattern of denying their intentions after they become public. Graham recalled plans for 40 eThekwini council members to take a cruise earlier this year and how these intentions were swiftly denied as the ANC publicly forbid the cruise. “We had it on good authority that new cars were going to be purchased,” said Graham.
The city, however, is adamant that it was all ‘lies’. “Any speculation that the City will purchase a new mayoral fleet is absolute lies. There is no Council decision to buy new vehicles,” said City Manager Sibusiso Sithole.
