Note to editors: Please find attached the English soundbite by Cllr Diphapang Mofokeng.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Nketoana Local Municipality is calling for a comprehensive investigation into the Mayor, Mamiki Mokoena’s, excessive expenditure and the immediate release of the logbook for the official mayoral vehicle. Additionally, we demand a full report on the circumstances surrounding the previous mayoral car involved in an accident.
The DA opposes the decision to purchase a new car for the Mayor before meeting the criteria stipulated in the Mayoral Handbook and the Municipal Cost Containment Regulations. The current decision to rent a car for the Mayor has already burdened the municipality, with a staggering R100,000 spent in a single month.
Despite our repeated requests in Council for the logbook and an explanation regarding the accident involving the mayoral car, these documents have not been presented. Yesterday, during a televised interview on Newsroom Channel 405, the Mayor’s spokesperson mentioned that a process is underway to purchase a new vehicle. However, the advertisement placed last week does not comply with clause 5.1.4.1 of the Mayoral Handbook, which states: “Mayors or their private secretaries should direct all applications for allocation or replacement of official vehicles to the EXCO or the Council, as the case may be.”
The advertisement for a replacement vehicle was made without the required EXCO or Council approval, and proceeding with the purchase or replacement will result in unauthorised expenditure, as there is no council resolution permitting such an action.
Furthermore, according to Municipal Cost Containment Regulation 6 of 2019, mayors’ vehicles can only be purchased after the Council has been provided with detailed information on various criteria, such as the condition of the current vehicle, affordability options, and the extent of service delivery backlogs. None of this information has been made available to the Council.
To ensure transparency and accountability, the DA will raise this issue in the Provincial Legislature and write to the MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) demanding a thorough investigation and immediate disclosure of all relevant documents.