DA and Action SA Alarmed by “Overpriced” R780k Donkey Cart Project in North West, Tender Raises Red Flags

• The Democratic Alliance and ActionSA plan to take on the controversial North West donkey cart project
• Both parties slammed the project, which saw R780 000 spent on 20 donkey carts, for being suspiciously overpriced
• The opposition has called on the Special Investigating Unit to investigate the tender and probe for impropriety

JOHANNESBURG- Opposition parties, the Democratic Alliance and ActionSA, blasted the North West department of community safety and road management for blowing R780 000 on a donkey cart project.

The department spent R780 000 on 20 donkey carts handed to villages in the Mahikeng to alleviate the rural communities' challenges.

According to News24, one two-seater art cost R32 500 to manufacture, and the four-seater version carried a R45 500 price tag. Community Safety MEC Sello Lehari claimed the carts came with a three-year maintenance plan, which is added to the cost.

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Most donkey cart recipients were females, and the department claimed that the carts would transport pupils to school, the elderly to pension points, and sick people to clinics.

Now both the DA and Action SA are calling for the project to be investigated. The DA, in particular, called on President Cyril Ramaposa to direct the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe the project, adding that it is dodgy and overpriced.

The opposition party slammed the project for being sickening, claiming that the ANC government was attempting to conceal three decades of failure.

ActionSA slammed Lehari for issuing a tender for the donkey carts instead of fixing dilapidated roads and infrastructure, which are major problems in rural areas, TimesLIVE reported.

The party called on North West premier Bushy Maape to annul the contract. Additionally, ActionSA called on authorities to investigate the awarding of the tender and probe for inflation costs.

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South Africans react to the 'dodgy' donkey cart tender

@Sh1sno commented:

"The person that approved this expenditure should be held fully liable. Prices are also obviously inflated."

@munyi_rama demanded:

"Go deep with the investigation. That money is too much."

North West government defends R780k spent on donkey carts for rural communities

In a related story, Briefly News reported that the North West Community Safety Department defended its expenditure of R780 000 on 20 donkey carts given to villagers in Mahikeng. Two types of carts were purchased: two-seaters for R32 500 and four-seaters for R45 500.

The price of the carts raised red flags among social media users. However, Community Safety MEC Sello Lehari slammed the comments and said social media users should stop “planting falsity” that causes damage to the department’s character.

According to News24, the carts were meant to assist community members living in rural areas in transporting children, the elderly, and those needing medical treatment. Lehari said that most of the recipients of the carts were women.

Source: Briefly News