THE mayor of cash-strapped Sedibeng District Municipality, Lerato Maloka, has been lashed.
This after his attempt to acquire a vehicle worth R700 000 while residents struggle for service delivery.
This comes after it was revealed that the municipality has allegedly increased its budget to buy Maloka a luxury car.
This was disclosed during in a report tabled during Sedibeng District Council meeting on 28 February.
According to the report, the municipal capital expenditure budget for the 2023/2024 financial year will increase by R700 000. This is to make provision for the executive mayor’s car because of the high-cost maintenance of her old Mercedes-Benz and car rentals becoming expensive and unfeasible to maintain.
Kingsol Chabalala, the Democratic Alliance's head of constituency in Emfuleni North, said this is shocking as this municipality is in a financial crisis and unable to provide constant basic services to its residents. He said the municipality cannot afford to spend money on a luxury vehicle that is unnecessary and a waste of ratepayers' money.
Chabalala said this is not the first time mayor Maloka has ridden on the backs of Sedibeng residents.
“In 2022, the DA discovered that the R696 611,99 Mercedes-Benz GLB (X247) that was purchased for her was gathering dust at the municipality's offices after she allegedly refused to use it, claiming it was not per her specifications.
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“The same unwanted car broke down due to a foreign substance, allegedly sugar granules, found in the engine, estimated to cost the municipality R398 000 to repair,” he said.
Chabalala said this money would have been better spent on fixing pothole-ridden roads and poor sanitation, as raw sewerage is flowing all over the streets from the main sewer system because the municipality is failing to repair sewer lines.
“The mayor must reconsider her priorities. She cannot continue to put her interests ahead of those she is constitutionally obliged to serve,” he said.
Economic Freedom fighter (EFF) in the Sedibeng district said they strongly believe that the mayor does not deserve another car, and a report on the current car's status must be presented to the council. The party said it will not permit everything to revolve around the mayor.
“The focus should be on the residents of Sedibeng and service delivery, not on one individual. We call on the ANC mayor, Lerato Maloka, to cease fixating on residing in a palace and to begin serving the people of Sedibeng,” said Khithika Sedibeng Regional Chairperson
Speaking to Daily Sun, Maloka said the R700 000 was not approved from the revised budget because it would not be economically possible.
She said that the request of a new car was not so to spend government money but was due to the monies that were already being spent to try maintaining her current car which has mechanical issues.
“The current one that is being used is old and out of warranty. When it gets faulty, the municipality is forced to pay more money to fix it, sometimes we are forced to hire a car.
“There was an option that they do not talk about which I suggested that we take the current to an auction so we can be able purchase another vehicle,” she said.
