All aboard for the first De Lille vs DA spat of 2019
A brief suspension of hostilities between ousted Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille and her successors has ended with the new year less than three days' old.
Brett Herron unleashed the first volley of 2019 on Wednesday, slamming his successor as mayoral committee for transport for the "collapse" of the city's Dial-a-Ride transport service for disabled and partially mobile citizens.
"Denying this service leaves people stranded and unable to get to and from work on the first working day of the new year. It is shameful and uncaring," said Herron, who joined the DA with De Lille and has now followed her to the Good party after she was ousted as mayor.
I’m alarmed to learn that the City of Cape Town allowed the contract for Dial-a-Ride to lapse and that this essential service stopped operating because the new contract was not signed before the end of 2018.
— Brett Herron (@brettherron) January 2, 2019
On Thursday, Herron's successor Felicity Purchase said Dial-a-Ride had been temporarily grounded by a tender wrangle.
"Unexpected delays were experienced during the procurement of a new long-term six-year contract due an ongoing appeals process," she said.
"To ensure continuity of the service, the city manager has approved the extension of the current contract on a month-to-month basis for a 12-month period while we await the resolution of the appeal process for the long-term six-year contract.
"A new contract extension has already been signed and the service will be restored as soon as all the necessary due diligence and approval processes for operating licences and roadworthy tests for each of the 24 vehicles are finalised."