The Tshwane ANC Youth\u00a0League on Tuesday accused Mayor Solly Msimanga of political grandstanding\u00a0over his\u00a0cancelling of the City\u2019s partnership with BMW to ensure officials drove cheaper cars.<\/p>\n
ANCYL\u00a0regional chairperson Lesego Makhubela said the DA-led municipality was trying to reverse the gains the ANC had made in improving the lives of black children.<\/p>\n
“We are further convinced that the cutting of the so-called ‘luxury cars’ is political grandstanding at its best and it is speedily ricocheting to expose how politically bankrupt the racist Democratic Alliance is,” he told reporters in Pretoria.<\/p>\n
Makhubela said BMW\u2019s Rosslyn plant, near the Soshanguve and Garankuwa townships, at one stage in 2011 had employed\u00a0more than\u00a03,700 people, and\u00a0manufactured\u00a0more than\u00a053,000 BMW 3 Series cars.<\/p>\n
Read: ANC mayor splashes R1.2 million on a Mercedes Benz SUV days after being elected<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Last Tuesday,<\/span> Msimanga announced an immediate stop to all purchases or leases of luxury cars, a week after halting inaugural and celebratory dinners and lunches for politicians in the capital city.<\/p>\n No new luxury car would be bought or leased for councillors. When the luxury vehicles the City currently owned needed to be replaced, sensible, low cost-vehicles would be procured. The Hyundai i20 or Toyota Corolla could serve the same purpose, Msimanga said.<\/p>\n Makhubela said the partnership with BMW contributed to the city\u2019s revenue and created jobs. BMW in Rosslyn had invested in an early childhood development institution for township residents, and a clinic.<\/p>\n He said Hyundai did not manufacture its cars in South Africa.<\/p>\n Msimanga’s spokesperson, Matthew Gerstner, said he was not surprised that the ANC was complaining about the decision.<\/p>\n “It is not unexpected that the ANC is uncomfortable about us exposing their lavish, luxury and totally wasteful spending on politicians’ cars.”<\/p>\n He said BMW\u2019s history in Tshwane was a source of pride for the city, but did not entitle politicians to luxury cars, paid for with public money, that did not benefit the poor.<\/p>\n The money that would be saved on the cars would be spent on service delivery instead.<\/p>\n News24<\/a><\/p>\n ANC mayor orders R1.5 million Lexus luxury vehicle<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Tshwane politicians to switch Mercs and BMWs for Hyundais and Toyotas<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nMore on politics in SA<\/h3>\n