Acting municipal manager drives fleet overhaul for better services

The acting municipal manager at the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, Dr Aucharlie Mothupi, led a comprehensive inspection and verification of the district’s municipal vehicle fleet this week in a drive to improve accountability and ensure vehicles are ready to support service delivery.

The district municipality, which covers a large rural area in the North West Province and oversees planning, infrastructure, and services across five local municipalities, has faced ongoing challenges in delivering reliable services.

The inspection was conducted in collaboration with the municipality’s Internal Audit Unit and included officials from Mahikeng Local Municipality’s Traffic Services. Their role was to verify the validity of licence discs and assess the roadworthiness of each vehicle, ensuring that all fleet assets meet legal and safety standards.

Mothupi said the exercise was a key step in addressing these challenges. “The aim of this exercise is to determine the overall fitness and operational readiness of our fleet. We cannot speak of improved service delivery standards in the municipality when our fleet is not up to the task,” he said.

The verification process also extended to drivers, confirming that all municipal drivers hold valid licences appropriate to the vehicles they operate.

He urged law enforcement to intervene.

“We expect traffic officers to confirm the roadworthiness of all Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality’s service delivery fleet,” he said.

Vehicles currently with service providers for maintenance were included in the assessment, reinforcing the principle that every asset must be properly accounted for.

He said the findings will inform decisions on whether the municipality needs to expand, upgrade, or rationalise its fleet to better meet community needs.

He stated that the process was part of broader efforts to strengthen internal controls, promote transparency, and ensure that municipal resources were effectively managed.

“Reliable municipal transport is essential for meeting service delivery obligations, and maintaining an accountable and fully functional fleet is central to the district’s long-term plans to enhance governance and responsiveness to community needs,” he said.