ECape mayor's R224k rental bill
2013-01-18 10:44
MUNICIPALITY FOOTS THE BILL: It's baffling when one considers that despite owning several luxury vehicles, including a Mercedes-Benz ML, Mayor Dingaan Myolwa still felt need to hire a luxury sedan.
CAPE TOWN - The mayor of OR Tambo municipality in the Eastern Cape allegedly cost the municipality over R224 000 in luxury car hire expenses.
Mayor Dingaan Myolwa raked up the costs over two months. The Dispatch Online reported that his costs included vehicle hire, accident damages and late return fees.
At least seven luxury vehicles were hired between October and November 2012, the publication reported.
DAMAGE AND LATE RETURN FEES
One of the vehicles was a Mercedes-Benz E300 hired on October 5 2012 and returned on October 8 in Durban.
An invoice from Avis luxury cars showed that the vehicle travelled 1080km and additional charges, including damages to the car and a late return fee, 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. The municipality also owns two bakkies for when the mayor travels to rural areas.
Municipal manager Tshaka Hlazo expressed surprise that the media was in possession of confidential internal documents.
Council chief whip Nolitha Ntobongwana told Dispatch Online that she was not aware of the expenditure.
Ntobongwana said: “I will ask the municipal manager and the mayor for a report on this when I make a follow-up.
“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.”
