Legislature response

1. Can you confirm or deny that the then Acting Secretary of the Mpumalanga provincial legislature, Josiah Silinda approved the purchase of a luxury vehicle for the Speaker of the legislature in 2014

R: Yes the vehicle for the Speaker was purchased in 2014. It has to be made clear that, it is not the luxury vehicle, but a vehicle with necessary safety features.

2. Can you confirm or deny that the current Secretary of the Mpumalanga provincial legislature, Linda Mwale, approved the purchase of a luxury vehicle for the Speaker of the legislature in 2015?

R: Yes, he did approve, this was after the vehicle allocated to the Speaker was involved in accidents on three occasions. On the last occasion the damage to the vehicle was severe. The security personnel in the Legislature advised that as the result of the accident the security features of the vehicle had been compromised, and it was not safe for use by the Speaker. Upon the advice of the Security Management of the Legislature, the purchase of the vehicle in 2015 was approved.

3. According to information seen by Ziwaphi the reason for the purchase of the new vehicle is that the 2014 vehicle had been involved in an accident and was no longer suitable for official use by the Speaker. 1. When was such a determination made?

R: It is correct that the 2014 vehicle was involved in an accident and was no longer suitable for official use by the Speaker. The determination was made after the assessment was conducted by the Security Personnel, the Insurance company and Union Motors. After the assessment report to the damage caused to the vehicle, the Security Management Unit advised that based on the report it was clearly risky to continue using the vehicle for the Speaker. The Security Management, therefore, strongly advised that a new vehicle for the Speaker be purchased. It is further important to note that the 2014 vehicle only returned to the Legislature after repairs now in 2016 which would mean that the car was not available for the whole year in 2014

4. Who made such a determination? R: This question is responded to above

5. What is the cost of the 2014 vehicle? – R: R937 047.22

6. Where did the budget for the 2015 vehicle come from?

R: The budget for the vehicle that was purchased in 2015, was allocated by the Provincial Treasury during the appropriation adjustment.

7. Does this mean that the legislature anticipated that the vehicle would be involved in an accident? R: As stated above the Legislature requested funding from the Treasury after the accident occurred in August 2015, and the replacement vehicle was purchased in November 2015, the Speaker had to use the fleet of the Legislature and on some occasion, the Speaker had to use Legislature’s VW Polo vehicle.

8. According to some officials within the legislature, the Speaker of the legislature, Ms Thandi Shongwe has accused some officials of bewitching the vehicle, hence its involvement in the accident. Does the Speaker believe in witchcraft?

R: The Speaker as a Christian and born again does not believe in petty mambo jumbo and witchcraft.

Additional questions

1. Could you please indicate where the vehicle 2014 vehicle is parked?

R: The vehicle is parked at the Underground/Basement Parking at Building No. 4, Riverside Government Complex

Question 2

R: The question is irrelevant as per the response above.

Question 3

The vehicle was never removed from the Legislature building except when it was under repair and with Union Motors. The vehicle was under repairs from August 2015-August 2016.

4 . Is the vehicle purchased in 2014, still in in the asset register of the Legislature?

R: Yes, is it in the asset register of the Legislature and was verified by the office of the Auditor General.

5.When was the asset register was updated

R:The asset register was updated on 31 March 2016.

Question 6. At the time of the updating of the asset register, where was the vehicle parked?

R: The vehicle was at the panel beaters as it has been received on the 12 of August 2016 by the Legislature and is currently parked at the Underground/Basement Parking at Building No. 4, Riverside Government Complex