Thousands of state vehicles worth more than R100-million standing idle at three government garages across the province are being stripped for parts, including engines.
The Dispatch has reported that the vehicles were valued at R30-million, but additional information now shows that no fewer than 2000 vehicles are rotting away at government garages in East London (West Bank), Mthatha (Southernwood) and Port Elizabeth (North End).
A Dispatch investigation at West Bank showed at least 45 vehicles with their ignitions stripped.
Even expensive German SUVs such as a Mercedes Benz ML 500 – which arrived in 2014 according to a highly placed source – was now without its front wheels, despite it arriving at the garage fully functional.
A Toyota Prado is missing its engine and some vehicles have been stripped of their bumpers.
Also at the garage were three other Mercedes Benz MLs and an Audi Q7, which showed no visible damage – each car having cost no less than R500000 when bought.
These cars are part of the government fleet, which are meant to be auctioned off – after they reach 150000km (for sedans) and 250000km (for bakkies).
Others are state vehicles which have been written off following accidents.
But the provincial department of transport has not been able to organise regular auctions as auctioneers complained that the reserve prices set by the department were too high.
The department wants no less than R50000 for each vehicle.
Only two security guards look after more than 700 vehicles kept at the West Bank garage.
The Dispatch has also learnt that the West Bank site houses underground petrol tanks, in which the previous fleet management company, FleetAfrica, used to keep fuel to fill up all government vehicles.
But insiders said since the contract was terminated, the fuel tanks have not been filled and space was so limited that they are no longer accessible. Another source said the government was now paying standard retail rates for fuel as Fleet Africa “used to buy petrol in bulk”.
“When Fleet Africa left in 2012, the intention was that the entity would take over the function that was offered by the fleet company.
“The government could be saving millions on fuel if it was using the same system Fleet Africa used for fuel,” said the source.
Now government vehicles are filled up at privately owned service stations – paying a higher price than if they still had their own tanks.
In 2012 the transport department decided to cut ties with private service providers and is now solely responsible to manage government fleet across departments.
A source with extensive experience in operations, said the theft of car parts was brought to the attention of senior transport department managers, but the only thing they did after the managers discovered that the cars were being stripped, was to order them to be collected and moved up into a level higher in the garage.
Most of the vehicles at West Bank are not even locked, making them easily accessible to criminals.
The windows of some of the vehicles are wide open, even though the garage is not covered.
Acting transport department spokesperson Ntombizomzi Bala would neither confirm nor deny the thefts out of the vehicles, saying that such risks were common in the nature of the business.
Bala also said that the department had conducted a risk management process and had since installed cameras and enhanced its points of exit.
“As soon as we become aware of any theft, a case will be investigated and appropriate action pursued against the perpetrator,” she said.
Bala did not respond to questions relating to why the provincial department was not using the available refuelling infrastructure at the West Bank plant to save costs.
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