Members of the Mpumalanga provincial executive council led by premier Mandla Ndlovu have been warned against breaking the law when hiring luxury vehicles, by the province's treasury.

Head of the provincial treasury Gugu Mashiteng issued a circular earlier this month to caution against unnecessary hiring of VIP vehicles at departmental cost.

”It came to the attention of the provincial treasury that VIP vehicles are hired in instances where it is not permitted according to the guide for members of the executive and where rentals are not always in line with chapter five paragraph 38(1)(b) of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) which states that the accounting officer is responsible for the effective, efficient, economical and transparent use of resources in the department,” reads the circular.

In terms of the PFMA, the accounting officer for a department, trading entity or constitutional institution is responsible for the effective, efficient, economical and transparent use of the resources of the department, trading entity or constitutional institution.

Mashiteng said as per the guide for members of the executive, which was previously referred to as the ministerial handbook, chapter four paragraph 2.2 “provincial members shall be provided with one vehicle for official use.”

She added that paragraph 2.3 states that members, on assumption of office, must make use of the official vehicles already purchased by the department, unless such vehicle is to be replaced in terms of paragraph 2.9 of the guide.

According to chapter four of the guide, departments may purchase official vehicles only when the currently provided official vehicle had reached 120 000km or five years, whichever comes first.

In addition, chapter four, paragraph 4.1 of the guide for members of the executive states that where the official vehicle is not available, members may make use of hired vehicles of a similar make and model as may be purchased by a department.

“Departments are to avoid unnecessary car rentals that are not effective, efficient, economical and transparent,” she explained.

Mashiteng also stated that members of the executive must abide by the guide for members of the executive approved by President Cyril Ramaphosa in April 2022.

The guide makes provision for members after taking the oath or being sworn in, the relevant department shall be responsible for vehicles and drivers for designated members and their spouses shall be provided at the state’s cost for travelling between the place of residence and place where the swearing in or the taking of the oath ceremony is to take place.

Additionally, the SA Police Service (SAPS) provides member with VIP drivers and protectors for official purposes and in the interest of their security.

The SAPS is also responsible for the financial implications in terms of the VIP drivers/protectors allocated to members for security reasons; except in cases where the claimed overtime for a SAPS VIP Driver/Protector for a specific calendar month exceeds 80 hours, in which case the relevant Department will be responsible for the costs of overtime claimed above the initial 80 hours.

Departments are responsible for providing and maintaining official vehicles and cell phones for SAPS VIP drivers and protectors.

The price for the purchase of official vehicles shall not exceed R700 000, inclusive of VAT, security upgrades and maintenance plans.

The limitation on the cost of the official vehicle is adjusted annually by the minister of finance, in consultation with his counterparts responsible for police, transport and state security.

Sunday Independent

loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za

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