DURBAN - THE Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has launched an investigation into how the Nquthu municipality mayor bought two mayoral cars worth R1.4 million, apparently without council resolution.
This was according to the ANC in that municipality.
The municipality, under the IFP, falls under Umzinyathi district municipality which has a seat in Dundee.
Nquthu is one of the rural towns.
The investigation came after the ANC, as an opposition party, raised the issue with Cogta MEC Sipho Hlomuka.
The ANC caucus leader in the municipality, Lucky Moloi, told the Daily News on Sunday that his party was surprised when it found out that the mayor had bought the cars without the council's knowledge or approval, calling it wasteful expenditure.
“We know for sure there was no council resolution to buy these cars, so we wanted this to be investigated and we are happy that MEC has appointed a team to look into it. The mayor must produce that resolution and tell us where and when that meeting took place,” said Moloi.
The mayor, Zama Shabalala, confirmed and defended the purchase of his mayoral cars.
He told the Daily News on Sunday that there was a need to buy the two cars, adding that the total budget was R1.4m.
He said the main car was a Toyota Fortuner and a Toyota double cab was a back-up, adding he was not bothered by ANC noise because its councillors do not attend council meetings sometimes.
“My back-up car was 10 years old when it was purchased in 2011, so it needed to be changed. My main car exceeded the required kilometre limit, so it had to be changed. I can confirm there was a council meeting which took the resolution so I am not bothered by ANC noise …”
He said while he was No 1 on the party list, it was the party that would decide who would be mayor after elections.
Cogta spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila said the department was unable to comment on the specifics of the wide-ranging forensic investigation being rolled out in the Nquthu Local Municipality.
“These are sensitive by nature.”
Daily News