Major South African municipality to auction off 800 municipal vehicles

The City of Tshwane has announced that it will auction off approximately 800 municipal fleet vehicles in an effort to generate additional revenue for the municipality.

The auction will be held online in February, with the final value of the vehicles determined by the auctioneer based on their condition and market demand.

While no specific date has been provided yet, Tshwane mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya said that the date has been tentatively set for 28 February 2026.

According to a statement by the City’s Member of the Mayoral Committee for Corporate and Shared Services, Kholofelo Morodi, the vehicles are largely aged, high-mileage units that have exceeded their optimal economic life cycle.

“Over time, a combination of extended vehicle retention, budgetary pressures and the need to prioritise frontline service delivery resulted in some vehicles being kept beyond their recommended replacement periods,” Morodi said.

“Many are either no longer operational or require frequent and costly repairs, making them unsuitable for reliable service delivery.”

As a result of the rising maintenance costs of these vehicles, it has become financially prudent for the municipality to dispose of the cars.

The MMC added that revenue generated from the auction will be paid into the City’s revenue stream and managed in accordance with the approved municipal framework.

This revenue will then be used to support broader service delivery priorities, “as determined through the City’s budgeting and planning processes.”

Morodi says that the replacement of these vehicles will not negatively affect municipal operations and service delivery.

“Over the past six financial years, a Fleet Strategy has been implemented that prioritises the replacement of vehicles through outright purchases that include warranties and maintenance plans,” she said.

“Most of the vehicles now earmarked for disposal have already been replaced through this process, ensuring continuity of service delivery.”

The replacement vehicles, the municipality says, are selected to be cost-effective, fuel-efficient and fit for purpose, with maintenance plans that are said to reduce long-term operating costs.

“To prevent a recurrence of similar challenges in future, the City has strengthened its fleet governance framework,” the MMC said.

“This includes lifecycle-based replacement planning, enhanced preventative maintenance programmes, improved asset tracking and utilisation monitoring, and regular condition assessments and reporting.”