Makana spokesperson Mncedisi Boma has confirmed that a senior official wrote off a brand-new municipal vehicle a few weeks ago, allegedly while drunk driving.
Makana spokesperson Mncedisi Boma has confirmed that a senior official wrote off a brand-new municipal vehicle a few weeks ago, allegedly while drunk driving.
Sources within the institution said the Isuzu LDV only had 15 000 kilometres on the clock and is worth R200 000.
"I can confirm that one of our vehicles was in an accident a few weeks ago. I can also confirm that indeed it was a brand-new car and was a write off," Boma said last week.
"A senior foreman who is based in Alicedale was off duty and used the vehicle. We have reports that the driver was drunk and had two passengers with him."
The man was allegedly driving in the direction of Port Elizabeth around 3am on Sunday 25 August and the passengers sustained severe injuries.
Police could not confirm if there was a record of the accident by the time of going to press.
Boma said the man has already been served with a charge sheet. "I understand that there is a hearing in process to be done but this is between the employer and employee."
The municipality has notified its insurance company, he said.
Grocott's Mail visited the municipal workshop in the industrial area last week and saw the badly damaged LDV. Sources within the municipality say it is among a dozen municipal vehicles that have been damaged by employees over the years.
Boma agreed that there was a "trend" of employees misusing council vehicles and damaging them.
"It has been a tendency over the years for employees to damage the vehicles… Cases have been dragging because we did not have anyone in our legal department," he said.
Now that Makana has its own labour office this will be dealt with, however.
