DURBAN - MOOI RIVER’S mayor has blamed political tensions and jostling for councillor positions in his area for a high-speed car accident in which a municipal vehicle was damaged.
On Sunday, a car assigned to mayor Xolani Duma as a back-up vehicle crashed at high speed into a cemetery palisade fence in Mooi River. The accident happened at about 11pm.
Some opposition parties claimed yesterday that the car crashed after a joyride.
But Duma, who was not in the car at the time of the accident, said the vehicle was rushing to his aid after it had been summoned because of potential threats to his life.
DA councillor in the municipality Nhlalayenza Ndlovu said the party had written to municipal manager Hlulukwenza Dladla to request a full investigation into the accident.
In his statement, Ndlovu makes several allegations with regard to how the car, a Toyota Fortuner, was damaged. He claimed the vehicle was being used for entertainment purposes.
“We are calling for the municipal manager to explain if the vehicle in question was authorised to be there at the time of the accident, and if so, who authorised it and for what reason.
“We also want to know if any cases have been opened, and who will be held accountable for any misuse and destruction of municipal assets. He must ensure that municipal property is protected and used for its designated purpose. We cannot have people exploiting municipal assets at the expense of ratepayers,” he said.
Duma, however, insisted that it was a genuine accident involving one of his bodyguards. He said that over the past few weeks, as the nominations process for new ANC councillors started, there had been several incidents that had put his life, as mayor and ward councillor, under threat.
He said that on several occasions there had been gunfire close to his house, and on a recent drive from Pietermaritzburg he and his security detail were chased on the N3.
“All these incidents prompted me to step down as a ward councillor and only avail myself as a PR councillor.”
Duma added that on the day of the accident, people were noticed near his house, and the back-up bodyguard was summoned.
“He was driving fast on a gravel road, hit a pothole and the car flew off the road and landed on a cemetery palisade fence. Like everyone involved in an accident, he was shocked, and wandered off. The people who got there after the accident found a handbag in the car, and now claim it belonged to a girl and he was coming from drinking.
“The bodyguard explained to me that the handbag belonged to his partner, whom he left at home when he was summoned. This is all political, people are using this as a political stick to attack me,” he said.
THE MERCURY