Visvin Reddy claims he spoke to the eThekwini Municipality employee from the mayor’s office who allegedly stated that she had gone to the gym and was also going to buy groceries. Screen grab of video of an eThekwini Municipality vehicle parked at Pavillion Shopping Centre during working hours.
DURBAN - EThekwini Municipality said the matter of a municipal vehicle parked outside a mall during working hours is being dealt with internally.
A video of the municipal vehicle parked at Pavilion Shopping Centre was posted on social media by Visvin Reddy, who is the leader of African Democratic Change and a councillor in the city.
In the video, shot at 9:30am on Wednesday morning, Reddy points out the eThekwini Municipality logo with the words “Office of the Mayor”.
“When I asked the official, ‘What are you doing here at this time?’, it is now 9:20am in the morning, she says she’s been to the gym and she’s going to do shopping. Today it's a Wednesday and here are our city officials whom we are paying ratepayers’ money towards their salaries. Our tariffs get to pay their salaries and you wonder why nothing is getting done in the city,” he says in the video.
The city issued a short statement on its Facebook page on Wednesday which received at least a thousand comments and over 50 shares.
“The eThekwini Municipality has noted the video that is circulating on social media about a municipal vehicle that was parked at a mall during working hours today. The matter is being dealt with internally,” said the statement.
@visvinreddy #tiktoksa #saindians #follow4follow #fyp #chatsworthdurban #roseyma #trending #trending #tiktokdurban ♬ original sound - Visvin Reddy
The post stirred up a debate with some citing other instances when municipal vehicles were seen being used to run errands while others did not see what the fuss was all about.
A resident said: “What a nonsensical complaint, where in the municipality's rules is it stated that an employee cannot go to the mall while driving a municipality's vehicle during working hours?”
One woman said: “So municipal employees don't get lunch time? Where should they leave the car if they are on the field and need to get lunch? I'm not condoning bad behaviour but let's also be logical in our thinking.”
A municipal employee joined in on the debate: “I'm a municipal worker and we do go to malls from time to time for work reasons. When there's electricity faults. We are ratepayers just like every one but also remember some of you’ll are working in cosy offices while we are working out in sun, bush, unsafe and dangerous places, so is it a crime if any municipal worker stops at a mall to buy lunch or cool drinks.”
Another resident said: “Try visiting one of the schools in the afternoon. They use these cars to transport their kids to and from school. There's this guy, I always wonder how come year in and year out this vehicle is with him and he uses it for his errands,”she said.
One resident said this type of behaviour happens all the time.
“There is no accountability with this government, that is why everything is in a mess,” he said.
Towards the end of last year The Mercury reported that an eThekwini municipality worker drove a municipal van through Galleria Mall in Amanzimtoti.
The vehicle was impounded and the municipal worker was arrested when he exited the mall in the parkade.
At the time, the city confirmed the incident and said the municipality was conducting an internal investigation.
Commenting on yesterday’s statement a resident said: “Still waiting for feedback from December about your employee driving his vehicle inside Galleria Mall.”
THE MERCURY