The Free State Government unveiled a fleet of 462 vehicles, procured with the intention to fast-track service delivery, in Bloemfontein on 16 August.
The fleet was unveiled during the launch of the governmental programme Operation Phethisa, which loosely translated means “operation execute”.
The different provincial departments have been allocated vehicles according to their needs. These vehicles include buses, bakkies and sedans.
Premier Sisi Ntombela strongly warned against the misuse of the vehicles.
“These vehicles must be used for their primary purpose only, which is to render services to the people of Free State,” she said.
“Any official caught using them for any other reason than what they have been procured for, will be dealt with according to the necessary internal disciplinary processes of government.
“To counter the possibility of abuse of vehicles, we have installed a driver management system, which will assist us in identifying the abuse and misuse of state vehicles, including theft. We have, as government, embarked on a programme to speedily attend to the needs of the people,” she said.
According to Ntombela, the programme responds to the call to fulfil the promises made to communities and is also in response to Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidential imbizo held in April.
In the same vein of delivering services to the citizens, a crime-fighting programme was also launched. It is dubbed Operation Phethisa Molao, which loosely translated means “enforce the law”.
“It seeks to restore law and order in our communities which, for some time now, our communities have been a haven for criminals and hell holes for law abiding citizens.
“Soaring crime levels in our country have become a serious concern,” said Ntombela.
