DA chooses better services over expensive new car
The money from a recently returned BMW 353i will be directed to important service delivery projects - DA
MOKOPANE – The DA-led administration in LIM 368 Municipality (Modimolle and Mookgophong) has recently returned a BMW 535i, which was used by the former mayor of Mookgophong, Sarah Monyamane, to the car dealers to settle an outstanding amount of R175 000.
This money will be directed to important service delivery projects.
In a media statement by the DA, it is said the former mayor abused her powers and wasted more than R1,3 million buying two cars during her tenure without the council’s approval.
In 2012, she bought herself a BMW at the cost of R383 553 and then used the municipality’s money repairing the car and engine after it was damaged. The vehicle was sold on auction in 2014 and the municipality opted to rent several vehicles for the mayor instead of paying for a new, affordable car.
In January 2015 , a new BMW 535i was bought at a cost of R790 900, with monthly instalments of a staggering R25 000 over a period of three years.
Since taking over the municipality, the DA-led administration discovered that there is still an outstanding amount of R175 000 to be paid for the vehicle.
“The newly-formed municipality has a huge service delivery backlog and we have opted to return the car to the supplier to end the contract and to settle the outstanding amount.
“The DA will continue to call for a mayoral handbook at local and provincial level to ensure that limited municipal resources are not spent on expensive luxury vehicles or lavish unnecessary expenditure. The people’s money should be spent on job creation and service delivery,” read the statement.
The DA has already submitted a motion with notice at the Legislature calling for a debate about the adoption of a mayoral handbook at municipal and provincial level and the motion was accepted.
The motion came amid reports that many municipalities across the province are wasting taxpayers’ money on mayoral cars instead of prioritising service delivery and good governance.
“Where the DA governs, we ensure that money meant for the people is spent on the people. We will continue to do everything possible to ensure a clean, well-run government that delivers better services and creates jobs,” the statement concluded.
