City of Tshwane says ‘it is not true that the cars are being repossessed’

The City of Tshwane has denied claims that its fleet is being confiscated by the contracted supplier.

Former Tshwane African National Congress (ANC) chairperson Kgosi Maepa tweeted on Friday that the vehicle fleet was being confiscated and that this would bring service delivery to an abrupt halt in various Departments responsible for electricity and water supply and the Tshwane Metro Police.

However, the City of Tshwane says in the past three financial years it has embarked on a process of acquiring vehicles through an outright purchase model and is getting out of the vehicle leases it found in the city.

City of Tshwane’s Sipho Stuurman says the allegations that the vehicles are being confiscated are a desperate attempt by some to portray the current administration in a negative light.

“Buying vehicles outright is more cost effective instead of continuing with expensive lease contracts with service providers. The lease contracts with service providers have come to an end and we have encouraged our service providers to come and fetch their vehicles so that the City can then replace them with the vehicles that we are buying. So, it is not true that the cars are being repossessed from the City of Tshwane, no. What we have done is we are not renewing contracts with the service providers.”