The mayor of Maruleng Municipality survived a car crash when her vehicle collided head-on with another vehicle on Friday afternoon.
Mayor Dipuo Thobejane was driving home in her Ford Ranger double cab when the accident happened near the Blyde River bridge in Hoedspruit. Municipal spokesperson, John Seokoma said that the mayor walked away unharmed from an extensively damaged vehicle, which was towed away by Hoedspruit Panel Beaters employees.
He said Thobejane was returning from Karibu Lodge in Tarentaal where she was attending the District Matric Awards ceremony in her official capacity.
Seokoma said Thobejane had to drive herself as her driver, Pulane Sekgobela has been suspended from driving the mayoral car pending disciplinary process for crashing the municipality’s Mercedes-Benz while allegedly on a joyride on December 26.
It is alleged that Sekgobela, who was off duty a day after Christmas, took the official silver Mercedes Benz GLE 400 worth close to R1million for a joyride. He crashed into a Ford Fiesta at Makgaung Village while trying to overtake.
READ MORE: HOEDSPRUIT: Mayoral driver’s joyride crash
Seokoma added that Sekgobela was acting as the mayor’s driver and the post has been advertised.
