Cash-strapped Mafube Local Municipality in Free State has bought a brand-new car to be used by the mayor, however, the R700 000 vehicle was registered in the name of the junior staff member as its owner.
The purchase of a black BMW X1 for both work and personal use by ANC mayor Tlhoare
Motsoeneng, registered under the former demand and acquisitions officer at the embattled council, raised eyebrows. The car was purchased for cash and registered under Gavin Gaba’s name, and he was later promoted to supply chain manager.
Sunday World has seen the registration document for the car made at the Frankfurt licensing department. The vehicle registration certificate shows MGV Gaba as the owner. The vehicle registration was made on April 2, 2024, where the R132 registration fee was paid at the licensing department counter.
The physical address used by the licensing department when the car was registered was
Gaba’s home in Namahadi township in Frankfort, where the municipality is located.
During the month of December 2023, the council speaker, Maletsatsi Mofokeng, wrote to Gadija Brown, the former MEC for finance in Free State, advising her to buy vehicles for herself and Motsoeneng, since both councillors used their cars for municipal work.
The Municipal Public Accounts Committee chairperson, Mamonaila Tsotetsi, was contacted by the Mafube municipal manager, Mothusi Lepheana, on November 27 last year, in which the former stated that he was responding to the letter sent from the latter’s office regarding the EFF’s allegations of fraud regarding the purchase of the mayor’s car, which is registered under Gaba’s name.
Lepheana said in his letter that the luxury vehicle was bought in two instalments. He confirmed that it was registered under Gaba because the municipality had a hefty debt of traffic fines at the traffic department. Therefore, it could not register the BMW SUV in the council’s name.
“Due to the financial situation of the municipality in 2021, the then municipal manager delegated the then fleet manager to authorise fleet transactions and serve as a municipal proxy in that regard.
Consequent to the above delegations’ powers, Mr Gavin Gaba registered the mayoral car in his name, as the municipality could not register its cars under its name due to outstanding debt at the traffic department. After the registration of the vehicle, it was duly recorded in the asset register of Mafube local municipality in terms of the MFMA (Municipal Finance Management Act),” said Lepheana.
Insiders within the municipality also claimed that the action to register the vehicle in the employee’s name was an act of fraud. This could result in the council losing its asset if it does not own it.
“Basically, does this mean that all the cars, heavy-duty machinery and movable assets of Mafube could be registered in the names of employees because the municipality was scared that they might be attached or forfeited by creditors owing money if they get court orders for attachments?” asked a senior official in the council.
A second official suggested conducting a thorough investigation into this transaction. He also said it was strange that an employee could register a vehicle on behalf of the municipality.
