Rustenburg – An executive mayor of a Northern Cape municipality, who has been accused of fleeing from a petrol station without paying, has denied the claim.
ZF Mgcawu District Municipality executive mayor Maryna Basson is accused of leaving an Engen petrol station without paying for the fuel, while using her official vehicle, earlier in October.
The municipality said a “misunderstanding” occurred between the driver and a petrol station attendant, resulting in the account not being settled.
The incident occurred on October 2.
"In a misunderstanding between the driver of the vehicle and the gas station attendant the account was not settled, as the driver was under the impression that the incumbent (mayor) in the car paid and the attendant was under the impression the driver paid inside.
“Once this error was noticed by the owner of the garage, arrangements were made for the account to be paid as soon as possible," the municipality said in a statement posted on its Facebook account.
The municipality said the mayor was not aware that the money had not been paid for the fuel.
"The ZF Mgcawu District Municipality can confirm that the executive mayor, Cllr Maryna Basson, personally apologised to the owner of the garage on behalf of the driver.
"The executive mayor is not responsible for the petrol card or payment of fuel. This is the sole responsibility of the driver. No deadline was given for the payment of the account and the account was settled in full without duress."
The DA in the Northern Cape said Basson attempted to dodge payment for fuel.
"After hightailing it from a filling station in Olifantshoek over the weekend without paying, details of the vehicle, including its make and number plate, were captured on camera and posted on Facebook in an attempt to find the driver.
"It soon came to light that the publicised details were those of the ZF Mgcawu mayoral vehicle, which was on a round trip from Upington to Kimberley, where mayor Maryna Basson was to attend the Letsema Campaign launch with ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa," said Flip van der Steen, DA whip in the Dawid Kruiper Municipality.
Van der Steen said after being exposed, and being provided with a deadline to make payment, another trip of just over 320km, from Upington to Olifantshoek and back, was made after the weekend to settle the mayor’s outstanding account.
"Regardless of whether or not she herself was driving, it is scandalous that the mayor would deem it okay to abscond from a garage without paying.
“She has brought the reputation of the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality into disrepute and she must be held accountable for such criminal behaviour."
He said he had submitted a request to the chairperson of MPAC (municipal public accounts committee) for an investigation, which should also include whether Basson was authorised to attend an ANC party political event at municipal expense.
"I have further insisted that the round trip undertaken from Upington to Olifantshoek, to make payment to the garage, must also be probed and wasteful and fruitless expenditure claimed back from the mayor."
IOL