Makana mayor Vumile Lwana has rejected ‘malicious allegations’ accusing him of using his official vehicle for party political purposes when he travelled to the ANC’s 98th anniversay celebrations in Kimberly on Saturday.
Makana mayor Vumile Lwana has rejected ‘malicious allegations’ accusing him of using his official vehicle for party political purposes when he travelled to the ANC’s 98th anniversay celebrations in Kimberly on Saturday.
"According to the Mayoral Handbook, I’m entitled to use the vehicle 24 hours-a-day and seven days-a-week," he explained. "I went there to meet with some ministers as the entire cabinet was there, I was lobbying for the funds of the NDPG [Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant] which were not rolled over from the last financial year to be reallocated to us."
He added that he had never abused state resources and that he has no reason to do so. "I use my own means," he emphasised. He said there is no need for him to wait for a council resolution before he can use the vehicle because "I’m governed by the handbook and executive powers vested in me to act on my toes".
He said that two tyres of his personal car needed to be changed as they were worn out from driving "up and down for council businesses" and that nobody has complained about his excessive driving of his personal car.
Lwana and councillor Melikhaya Phongolo, ANC chief whip in the Makana council, were chauffered to Kimberley in the Mayor’s official BMW X5 on Friday. A source in the council told Grocott’s Mail about the trip, alleging that Lwana was abusing municipal resources to attend a party political event.
Local Democratic Alliance secretary Xolani Madyo, who is also a Makana councillor said it is wrong of Lwana to use the official vehicle to attend an event of his political party and that he should reimburse the municipality for the expenses it incurred as a result of the trip.
"It is wrong of him to use the X5 to attend events organised by his party as the vehicle is solely for council business," he added. Madyo said he has not yet read the handbook but added that a copy of it should be made available for all concerned citizens.
