Cape Town – The City of Cape Town has made a deal with Chinese manufacturers of the arrangements of electric buses and the company has won a tender valued at over R300 million.
The mayor of Cape Town, Patricia de Lille met with BYD managers in China although one of the officials warned against it because the company was in the running for the lucrative contract.
The mayor’s spokesperson confirmed that she had gone to China in 2015 with deputy mayor Ian Neilson and director of trade and investment Lance Greyling, but would not reveal the purpose of the visit.
The tender of the electric buses was not advertised until February 2016. Transport commissioner of the city, Melissa Whitehead, who attempted arranging a meeting between De Lille and the company’s managers.
From the email sent from Whitehead’s office to BYD manager alerted the ANC to call for an investigation.
“Can you kindly provide me with the names of your members accompanying you in order for me to schedule the meeting with the mayor on 27 August 2015,” the email from Whitehead’s office manager to the BYD country manager Brian Li read.
Mayoral spokesman Zara Nicolson said the mayor did not meet the businessmen after being warned against it. Although the investigation has commenced on the accuracy of the information given.
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