Johannesburg – Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has found that the purchase of a new official vehicle for KwaZulu-Natal MEC Kwazi Mshengu was unlawful.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department bough the BMW X4 in December 2019 despite a one-year-old Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 being available.
The complaints allege that the department forged a letter from a Mercedes-Benz dealership advising Mshengu not to use the vehicle because it was not safe.
They also allege that Mshengu was in on the scam.
The Public Protector said that there was no evidence of a scam or a forged letter as alleged by the complaints.
She, however found that the purchasing of a new BMW was unjustified but has placed the blame with the KZN Education head of department (HOD), Enock Nzama.
Mkhwebane said that Mshengu was advised by Nzama that a new car should be bought.
Mshengu also rented a car to use at the expense of the department despite an official vehicle being available.
Mkhwebane said that this amounted to maladministration and had resulted in fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
She has called for an investigation into the conduct of Nzama.
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