…By Roland Peterson for TDPel Media. The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) recently confiscated yet another municipal vehicle from a city employee for unauthorized use.
On May 31, 2023, EMPD officers from the Security and Loss Control Unit impounded a council-issued motor vehicle, assigned to the Parks Department, in the Modderbee area of Benoni. Surprisingly, the vehicle was found with a school child inside.
Employee Attempts to Flee with the Child in Transit
When the EMPD officers approached the vehicle and instructed the driver to stop, he ignored their commands and attempted to flee.
However, after a short chase, the vehicle was brought to a halt with the school child still inside.
Upon questioning, the employee explained that he was taking his child to school but assured the officers that it would be the last time he misused the vehicle.
Internal Investigations Initiated and Warning to Council Employees
Following the incident, the EMPD immediately confiscated the vehicle and initiated internal investigations.
They emphasized the importance of refraining from the misuse of council resources meant for public service.
The EMPD appealed to all council employees to recognize the purpose of these resources in delivering essential services to the community.
Prevalence of Misuse in Benoni and Previous Incidents
This trend of misusing municipal vehicles appears to be prevalent in the Benoni area.
In a separate incident on May 23, 2023, EMPD officers from the Security and Loss Control Unit impounded three municipal vehicles following reports of misuse by City of Ekurhuleni council employees.
Acting on a tip-off, the officers discovered the vehicles parked at a high school in Benoni, including a marked BMW belonging to the EMPD, a marked Ford Ranger belonging to the Disaster & Emergency Management Services Department (DEMS), and an unmarked white Ford Ranger belonging to the Parks Department.
Continued Efforts to Address Misuse of Municipal Vehicles
The EMPD remains committed to addressing the misuse of municipal resources.
They have taken swift action to confiscate vehicles involved in unauthorized use and have launched internal investigations.
By sharing these incidents, the EMPD hopes to deter council employees from abusing resources intended for public service and reinforce the importance of responsible resource management.
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