Cope calls on ministers to react to R1m BMW for mayor of poor town

Opposition political party Congress of the People has demanded that finance minister Nhlanhla Nene and Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Pravin Gordhan react to a story in the Sunday Times about the mayor of Taung in North West province‚ Kaone Lebelo‚ buying a one million rand BMW out of public funds.

“As the Sunday Times points out‚ this decision by the mayor flies in the face of cabinet’s decision to cut spending on vehicles. It is also ‘morally wrong’ as Michael Sass of the National treasury observes. We concur with that view‚” Cope spokesman Dennis Bloem said in a statement.

“The fact that Lebelo is mayor of one of the poorest towns in the country does not seem to have registered on him. Neither does the suffering of the people matter a jot to him. Not even the fact that the Local Government Election is looming around the corner bothered him at all. He went ahead with the purchase.

“COPE waits to see what action the Ministers will take against Lebelo and how swiftly and decisively they will act. Furthermore‚ we want the ruling party to apologise on bended knees to the poor and neglected people of Taung‚” Bloem added.

The Sunday Times reported that Lebelo had taken possession this week of a white BMW X5 in contravention of a government instruction that all public office-bearers cut spending on expensive cars.

According to the article‚ some residents of the town do not have running water or sanitation.

-RDM News Wire.