The Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) has seized another vehicle, a Ford Ranger belonging to the City of Ekurhuleni which was being allegedly misused by an official of the city.
Spokesperson for the EMPD, Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa said the vehicle was found and seized at a school where the official was dropping off his child.
“On Friday 09 June 2023 at around 7.15am, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department internal affairs members, confiscated another City of Ekurhuleni council-issued vehicle belonging to the energy department at the Leondale Primary School, in the Leondale area,” said Thepa.
“This was after the members received a tip-off from members of the public, that the vehicle was seen countless times, dropping off a child at Leondale Primary School.
“Internal affairs officers proceeded to the school and the 43-year-old male, employed by the City of Ekurhuleni energy department based in Vosloorus, was caught red-handed dropping off his child at the school,” she said.
The City of Ekurhuleni official will face charges for misusing the government vehicle.
“The employee, who will be charged with misusing the council’s vehicle, was confronted by the officers, who immediately confiscated the vehicle,” she said.
“The confiscated vehicle was taken to the Primrose workshop in Germiston for safekeeping.”
Last month, as the EMPD intensifies its crackdown on municipal officials using state vehicles for personal business and errands, another Ford Ranger bakkie was confiscated from a City of Ekurhuleni who was found travelling with her child.
Thepa said when officers stopped the woman and explained to her the municipal policy on the use of City of Ekurhuleni vehicles, she drove away while they were speaking to her.
Thepa said the police did not chase the woman because there was a child in the car.
“On Tuesday May 30, between 7am and 8am, members of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department impounded a council-issued vehicle in the Tembisa area, following misuse by a City of Ekurhuleni employee,” she said.
Earlier, the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department pounced on several municipal officials and confiscated at least four official vehicles being used for personal business.
Some of the vehicles, including a marked municipal police BMW, were seized at schools where the municipal workers were picking up or dropping off their children.
IOL