Some members of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress are uncomfortable with new Democratic Alliance Mayor Solly Msimanga’s decision to give away a fleet of luxury BMW cars ordered by his predecessors, News24 reported.
The DA took control of Tshwane, a metropolitan area including the capital Pretoria, from the ANC in local August elections.
No more luxury cars will be bought under his leadership, Msimanga said. Instead, when the luxury vehicles used by city officials need to be replaced, sensible, cheaper cars like the Hyundai i20 or Toyota Corolla will serve the same purpose, Msimanga said.
The ANC bought 10 new BMW 3 series vehicles for 5 million rand ($356,000), BBC reported. They were ordered for members of the mayoral council when the ANC was confident it would retain control of the municipality in the elections.
The new mayor said he will give away the new luxury cars ordered by his predecessors to a police anti-hijacking unit.
Mayor Msimanga took over from the governing ANC, which lost control of the capital for the first time since 1994.
By buying BMWs, ANC members say the city’s partnership with BMW helped create jobs. The BMW plant in Rosslyn invested in a clinic and early childhood development center for township residents, said Lesego Makhubela, chairman of the ANC Youth League, News24 reported.
The new D.A.-led municipality is trying to reverse gains made by the ANC in improving the lives of black children, Makhubela said.
“The cutting of the so-called ‘luxury cars’ is political grandstanding at its best and it is speedily ricocheting to expose how politically bankrupt the racist Democratic Alliance is,” Makhubela told reporters in Pretoria.
BMW’s Rosslyn plant, near the Soshanguve and Garankuwa townships, employed more than 3,700 people in 2011 and manufactured more than 53,000 BMW 3 Series cars, according to the BMW website.
In 2015, BMW Group committed to investing 3 billion rand ($208 billion US) in new state-of-the-art facilities for Rosslyn. BMW South Africa has contributed to the global success story of BMW X models, the company said.
Hyundai does not manufacture cars in South Africa.
“It is not unexpected that the ANC is uncomfortable about us exposing their lavish, luxury and totally wasteful spending on politicians’ cars,” said Matthew Gerstner, spokesman for Mayor Msimanga.
BMW’s history in Tshwane is a source of pride for the city, but does not entitle politicians to luxury cars paid for with public money that do not benefit the poor. The money should be spent on services instead.
The DA-led coalition government wants to cut costs, Msimango said, according to BBC.
Msimango said he plans to use a BMW 5 series car he inherited from the previous mayor, Independent Online reported. “But, as soon as he can replace it, he will, with a sensible, low-cost vehicle,” his spokesman said.
“I will not allow public money to be spent on luxury cars‚ while our people struggle for services‚ houses and jobs,” Msimango said.
The ANC national government has been criticized for extravagant spending. South Africans are watching how the opposition plans to do things differently in the areas they won in the August elections, BBC reported.
The post After The Election: ANC, Democratic Alliance Bicker Over Diverging Values In South Africa appeared first on Moguldom.
