Lack of accountability has seen government officials continue to show blatant disregard for government resources
By Abigail Visagie
The recent car accident involving a State-owned vehicle belonging to Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (MMM) that overturned along the N1 near Verkeerdevlei, has uncovered a trail of malpractice by government officials and politicians who use State resources for private purposes which are prohibited by legislation.
Regional African National Congress (ANC) secretary, Sabelo Pitso, and chief whip, Vuyile Nikelo and two unnamed bodyguards were involved in the abovementioned accident, due to an alleged tyre burst. It is believed that the driver lost control of the car following the alleged tyre burst, leading the car to overturn and tumble to the roadside.
Although it is not clear who the driver of the State car (JBB477FS) was at the time of the accident, Journal News has been reliably informed that both Pitso and Nikelo were in the car when it overturned. Despite this unfortunate incident, questions have emerged on why the duo were driving together in a State-owned vehicle thus contravening MMM’s fleet management policy.
Section 18.5 of the MMM’s fleet management policy stipulates that “no driver who is permitted with the government vehicle is permitted to transport any unauthorised passengers”.
The chief whip therefore clearly went against legislation and allowed a passenger in a State-owned.
Further reports suggest that there was a second State-owned vehicle (JBB479FS) within the vicinity of the vehicle that had an accident. This has given rise to suppositions that this second vehicle was transporting Pitso - another violation of MMM fleet management protocol.
Although Pitso is a high-ranking ANC official in the province, he is not deployed anywhere as an official within MMM. Why a State-owned vehicle was allegedly assigned to him has therefore raised more difficult questions.
In response to questions from Journal News, MMM spokesperson, Qondile Khedama said he contacted Nikelo as soon as he found out about the accident.
“The Chief Whip confirmed that the accident was caused by a tyre burst. The fleet management from MMM is currently conducting investigations.”
According to Khedama, Nikelo also indicated that he was “okay” and that there were no fatalities sustained in the accident.
He also confirmed that the two vehicles do indeed belong to the metro but could not explain why the ANC senior official (Nikelo) was using a State-owned vehicle.
At a press briefing held at Kaizer Sebothelo Building - Free State ANC’s provincial headquarters - the party’s provincial secretary Polediso Motsoeneng stressed that Nikelo is part of MMM hence he has been designated a government vehicle to execute his duties.
Motsoeneng, however, fell short of answering why Pitso was being ferried in State-owned vehicle, despite not being a government official and also why two vehicles were dispatched, despite the chief whip being the only official authorised to be driven in State-owned at the scene.
Some other incidents similar that of Pitso and Nikelo where State vehicles were misused include an accident involving the Kopanong mayor, Xolani Tseletsele, whose white Mercedes-Benz SUV was linked to a car accident that occurred on 13 February 2022, in which an alleged mysterious woman was said to be the driver when the car was in an accident.
Ngwathe Local Municipality mayor, Victoria de Beer-Mthombeni’s black BMW State-owned vehicle has been a subject of controversy after it claimed the life of a 26-year-old woman who was hitchhiking on the R59 highway on 21 May 2023.
It was then confirmed that the vehicle was driven by Mthombeni’s bodyguard in her absence.
Just like many others, investigations for these cases are still pending.
The prevalence of government garage vehicles - purchased and maintained using public funds - being misused by State officials and by powerful politicians such as in this case, is a longstanding problem. Given the fact these vehicles are purchased using taxpayers’ money, this rife malpractice, particularly amongst government leaders and party heavyweights, not only undermines public trust but also exposes the glaring gaps in monitoring and accountability within provincial government departments and municipal governance spheres.
Apparently, there is a slew of occurrences of State-owned cars being misused by government officials, but they casually get ‘swept under the carpet’.
The incidents are in contravention of the Government Motor Transport Handbook which stipulates that a government vehicle can be used by any person with the relevant authority, involved in an activity in line with the objectives of the government.
The handbook further highlights the fact that no unauthorised passengers should be transported and that authorised passengers will be held liable for inappropriate behaviour resulting in damages or losses.
Considering the government handbook, MMM has also been led by fleet management policy that further stipulates that the allocated driver shall be appropriately licensed, in terms of the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996, and a duly authorised employee of MMM at all times- Yet none of the senior ANC officials form part of the municipality.
In the instance of the ANC officials, it was alleged that the officials also travelled with two other bodyguards, yet the log and handbook of MMM boldly stipulates that any driver who has been entrusted with the official vehicle is not permitted to transport any other unauthorised passengers.
With clear and precise guidelines from both the National Department of Transport and MMM, a lingering aftertaste is left, leaving many taxpayers wondering how many more of these accidents caused by either reckless state officials or non-governmental officials will be paid from their back pockets, whilst the perpetrators are left scot-free and test-driving the latest luxury vehicles.
