By Montsho Matlala
Marble Hall: Eyebrows were raised on Wednesday after a marked Polokwane Municipality traffic police vehicle was spotted at by-election polling stations in Ward 9, Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality — an area that falls under a different district in Limpopo.
A source alleged the vehicle was being misused:
“The traffic police car was used to ferry ANC supporters from place to place to come and vote for the party. Some people were even taken on board and dropped off at strategic spots to walk to voting stations,” the source claimed.
Images shared with the media showed the vehicle in Manapyane village, Ward 9, outside Marble Hall, where voting was underway.
One resident, who requested anonymity as she is a civil servant, questioned the vehicle’s presence:
“This is Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality in Sekhukhune District, about 140 km from Polokwane in Capricorn District. Why would a Polokwane municipal traffic car be working here? It doesn’t make sense.”Polokwane Municipality spokesperson Thipa Selala confirmed the vehicle was in Sekhukhune, but denied it had anything to do with elections.
“The executive mayor, John Mpe, was in Sekhukhune on a working visit to engage stakeholders about Polokwane Municipality’s long-term plan to benefit from the De Hoop Dam. The route to this visit happened to pass near where the by-elections were taking place.
“It would be misleading to suggest the traffic vehicle was deployed to boost any political party. At no stage was it used to transport ballot papers or election material. Anyone with evidence of wrongdoing must bring it forward through the correct channels.”
However, MKP provincial elections coordinator Matlala Maremane rejected the explanation:
“If Mayor Mpe needed an escort, why use a traffic police vehicle to travel so far? Other mayors were at polling stations without marked municipal vehicles. The ANC is known for using government resources for political campaigns at taxpayers’ expense. Besides, a traffic police car is not meant for VIP escort duties.”
ANC provincial spokesperson Mathole Machaka dismissed the accusations:
“These allegations are not supported by any evidence and are simply an attempt to distract the ANC from celebrating its victory.”
Meanwhile, on the same day Mpe was in Sekhukhune, the Hawks raided his municipal offices in Polokwane, seizing files and computer disks as part of a corruption investigation into tenders worth R724 million.
The Hawks investigators seized several files and computer discs from the municipality to peruse before deciding on the next move.
