DA accuses FF Plus of selling out eThekwini residents by supporting the R25m spending on cars for senior officials

Durban — The DA has accused the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) councillor Henricus van der Ryst of selling out the people of eThekwini by voting for the spending of R25 million on new security vehicles for the mayor and other senior officials.

The eThekwini council recently approved the purchase of new cars for mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, his deputy Zandile Myeni, Speaker Thabani Nyawose and the chairpersons of committees.

In a surprise move, the FF+ supported the proposal. This angered the main opposition parties, including the DA which called the FF+ a sell-out.

Addressing the party supporters which were picketing outside Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre before the State of the City address by Kaunda, DA KwaZulu-Natal provincial chairperson Dean Macpherson attacked the FF+ for the decision.

Van der Ryst said he was in the meeting but asked to be sent questions. He had not responded at the time of the publication. His comment would be added once received.

A report tabled before the finance and emergency services committee recently revealed that the City was looking to spend this amount on new vehicles for its Security and Protection Services Unit. Councillors who are members of the committee said they were informed about the decision in that meeting. This also angered ratepayers, who are gearing up for a fight with the City over proposed high tariff increases. They called the decision sickening.

In its motivation, the report apparently cited provincial and national elections as the reasons for replacing the fleet of vehicles currently used by these officials.

The report added that the current fleet for Security and Protection Services had exceeded its lifespan and is due for replacement, saying the fleet had not been replaced due to funding unavailability.

Ratepayers argued that if the City could buy cars then it could waive the municipal tariff increases, saying there was no service delivery, yet the City was increasing tariff increases.

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