South African traditional leaders honoured with cars as gifts

The Freedom Front Plus will interrogate South African traditional leaders who received cars as gifts in the Free State. Here’s more …

South African traditional leaders in the Free State scored on Heritage Day. Image: @FreeCogtaHS on X

South African traditional leaders in the Free State are in the headlines for the wrong reasons again.

This comes after local government gifted millions’ worth in cars on Heritage Day (Tuesday, 24 September 2024).

According to The Citizen, Heritage Day turned into a red-letter celebration for local South African traditional leaders.

Allegedly R10-million worth of new vehicles was handed over.

SOUTH AFRICAN TRADITIONAL LEADERS

In the report, the Free State provincial legislature says it approved the vehicles to help ‘facilitate development’ and ‘foster innovation.’

South African traditional leaders, including both Kings, Queens and deputies, were presented with their shiny new gifts for Heritage Day.

Nevertheless, opposition parties like the FF Plus vow to interrogate Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha Mathae over the gratuity.

The question remains whether the millions spent could have been put to better use in one of South Africa’s poorest provinces.

As seen in pictures on the Free State Government’s X social media, at least one luxury BMW X3 SUV was presented.

While not detailed, it’s understood a number of double-cab bakkies were also handed over.

HONOUR BESTOWED

Accordingly, at the ceremony, Premier Mathae said the following.

“Donating these vehicles is a mechanism to bestow honour unto our traditional councils. This initiative is crucial for traditional committees to efficiently fulfil their responsibilities and be active in their communities,” concluded the Premier.

At the same time, provincial government announced a R200-million spend on repairing local road infrastructure, too.

However, opponents to the move argue the precarious financial position of the province at the moment.

FF Plus’ Armand Cloete of the Free State legislature says that, despite rigid cost-saving measures, the committee has overspent massively on salaries and personnel in 2024 so far.

Moreover, the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA)‘s last annual report (2022/23) shows the Free State government racked up R1.14 billion in wasteful expenditure.