The recent armed hijacking of a municipal bakkie has once again focused the spotlight on the rate at which Emalahleni’s assets are disappearing.
In the view of the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus), this is not an isolated incident, but simply more proof that the safeguarding of public property has totally collapsed.
The party sent an urgent letter to the Municipal Manager, Mr Humphrey Sizwe Mayisela, demanding immediate accountability for the ongoing loss of vehicles and equipment, which is costing the Municipality millions.
The hijacking is simply the latest in a series of disturbing incidents involving the theft or loss of critical assets, including a refuse compactor, a Bell grader and various other vehicles.
It is unacceptable that heavy equipment and official vehicles regularly disappear from right under the Municipality’s nose and there is no accountability to the public.
These recurring incidents directly sabotage service delivery. Every theft exacerbates existing problems: maintenance teams cannot respond to power outages or water leaks, refuse removal is delayed due to a lack of compactors, and residents pay the price for a municipality unable to look after its own assets.
The Freedom Front Plus is aware that a private investigator has been appointed to look into possible security breaches and internal involvement at the depots. The findings of this investigation are treated as strictly confidential. The administration’s silence on the matter is worrying and unacceptable.
The Freedom Front Plus demands transparency regarding which internal security controls were supposed to prevent the series of thefts, but failed; whether the investigation has implicated any officials in these crimes; and what legal or disciplinary steps have been taken to stop the so-called “asset syndicate”.
While vehicles disappear, the already overtaxed ratepayers of Emalahleni (Kriel, Ogies, Phola and eMalahleni) are forced to foot the bill for replacements and high insurance premiums. This has to stop.
The Freedom Front Plus will keep advocating for the immediate implementation of stricter access control at all depots and the installation of advanced tracking technology in every municipal asset.
Negligent officials who allow municipal assets to disappear should be brought to book.
