Mayor racks up luxury car hire costs
2013-01-18 11:10
East London - The mayor of OR Tambo municipality in the
Eastern Cape allegedly cost the municipality hundreds of thousands of rands in
luxury car hire expenses, according to a report on Friday.
Mayor Dingaan Myolwa racked up the costs over two months in
car hire costs, accident damages and late return fees, the Daily Dispatch reported.
At least seven luxury vehicles were hired at a huge cost by
the municipality between October and November last year, the publication
reported.
One of the vehicles was a Mercedes-Benz E300 hired on 5 October
and returned on 8 October in Durban.
Damages, late return
The invoice from Avis Luxury Cars showed that the vehicle
travelled 1 080 km and additional charges, including damages to the car and late
return, amounted to R188 126. The total cost to the municipality amounted to
R224 825.70.
The vehicles were hired despite the municipality owning six
mayoral vehicles including a Mercedes Benz ML, Toyota Prado, two Mercedes-Benz
E350s and two bakkies for when the mayor travels to rural areas, the Dispatch reported.
When contacted for comment by the publication, municipal
manager Tshaka Hlazo expressed surprise that the media was in possession of
confidential internal documents.
Council chief whip Nolitha Ntobongwana said she was not
aware of the expenditure.
“I will ask the municipal manager and the mayor for a report
on this when I make a follow-up today [Friday].
“As you know when the mayor attends an event he hires a car,
but I have not been informed about what you’re asking me about.”
- SAPA
