Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The ANC ordered the cars, believing it would be re-elected

A new mayor in South Africa says he will give away a fleet of new luxury cars ordered by his predecessors.

Solly Msimanga, from the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), said the vehicles would instead be given to a police anti-hijack unit.

However, he will continue to use the luxury car used by the previous mayor.

The DA took control of Tshwane, a metropolitan area including the capital Pretoria, from the African National Congress (ANC) in local elections.

Mr Msimanga said no more luxury cars would be bought under his leadership.

He took over from the governing ANC, which lost control of the capital for the first time since 1994, last month.

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The ANC bought 10 new BMW 3 series vehicles, which are yet to be delivered, for 5 million rand ($356,000; £266,000), local reports say.

The cars were meant for members of the mayoral council, with the ANC said to be confident it would retain control of the municipality in the elections.

Image copyright EPA Image caption Solly Msimanga won elections in August

He will still use a BMW 5 series car he inherited from the previous mayor, reports the IOL website.

Mr Msimanga's spokesman Matthew Gerstner told the BBC that this vehicle could not "be dispensed with because it's been bought and paid for already and treasury regulations prohibit that".

He added: "But, as soon as he can replace it, he will, with a sensible, low-cost vehicle".

Mr Msimango says the DA-led coalition government wanted to embark on cost-cutting measures.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The ruling African National Congress has got the lowest share of the vote since 1994

He said in a statement: "No new luxury cars will be bought or leased for politicians‚ and if vehicles currently owned by Tshwane require replacement‚ sensible and low-cost vehicles will be procured.

"I will not allow public money to be spent on luxury cars‚ while our people struggle for services‚ houses and jobs.

"A Hyundai i20 or Toyota Corolla can do the same job for a politician as an expensive sedan."

The ANC national government has been criticised for wasteful expenditure, so South Africans will be closely watching what the opposition do differently in the key urban areas they won in the August elections, says the BBC's Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg.

South Africans will be keen to see if the opposition, which has until now only run one province, will be able to make good on its ambitious election promises, our correspondent says.</s>Thinking it would retain Tshwane, the African National Congress-led administration bought 10 new BMW 3 series vehicles for members of the mayoral council, with an estimated value of over R5 million.

NATIONAL NEWS - Tshwane Mayor Solly Msimanga has rejected ten luxury vehicles, which were bought by his predecessors for politicians and senior officials in his municipality.The newly elected Democratic Alliance (DA) mayor has also banned the purchase or leasing of luxury vehicles.He has uncovered the fact that public money had been used by previous leaders of the municipality to buy luxury BMW vehicles for politicians.</s>Limpopo Democratic Alliance leader Jacques Smalle says this is unacceptable.

NATIONAL NEWS - Questions are being asked after the Greater Tzaneen Municipality purchased vehicles worth R1.6 million for the new mayor and speaker, despite owing creditors more than R20 million.A court order has also been issued to attach the municipality’s assets.This comes a day after Tshwane Mayor Solly Msimanga announced that his municipality would not spend any more money on luxury cars, and employees would have join other citizens in driving similar cars.</s>It’s still early days, but new City of Tshwane executive mayor Solly Msimanga appears to be pressing the right buttons – getting to the bottom of what’s ailing the capital city.

Endemic corruption, nepotism, mismanagement and wasteful expenditure are problems that have seen several municipalities crumbling to the point of being unable to deliver basic services to residents. Last week, Msimanga announced he had uncovered massive graft in Tshwane and had been given forensic reports about corruption that were “suppressed” for a long time.

This week, Msimanga announced that Tshwane officials would no longer be allowed to purchase or lease luxury cars. This was part of cost-cutting measures implemented by the executive mayor since taking office last month.

“I will not allow public money to be spent on luxury cars while our people struggle for services‚ houses and jobs. No more luxury cars will be bought or leased under my government. A Hyundai i20 or Toyota Corolla can do the same job for a politician as an expensive sedan‚” Msimanga said.

Shortly after taking office, he revealed plans to ban blue-light convoys for politicians and city officials‚ including himself. “Tshwane officials will now travel alongside ordinary citizens. They will wait in traffic and will stop at red lights‚” he said in his inaugural address last month.

Last week‚ Msimanga announced two immediate changes to cut costs: putting a stop to all inaugural parties and inaugural events with catering for Tshwane’s new executive and ending celebratory dinners and lunches that only benefit politicians.

The mayor appears to be a breath of fresh air in the capital city council which was previously run by an administration with a penchant for reckless spending from the public purse. A clear example is the failed smart electricity meters deal.

A few weeks ago, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria prevented the Tshwane metro from making a nearly R1-billion payment to the company responsible for rolling out the project in the city.

We hope Msimanga’s bold plans are not just a publicity stunt driven by political point scoring. He must now walk the talk and ensure he and his team put Tshwane on a road to recovery that benefits all its residents.</s>The car will be funded from money left over from the service delivery projects in Emalahleni Local Municipality, Mpumalanga, and in defence of the purchase, municipal spokesperson Lebo Mofokeng said all processes had been followed.

According to The Sowetan, Mofokeng explained Mayor Lindiwe Ntshalintshali was currently driving a Toyota Lexus with a mileage of 124 813 kilometres, and an extended motor plan had been purchased at a cost of R43 000.

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“Council approved the replacement of the official vehicle of the executive mayor following supply-chain processes. The R1.5 million was rolled over from the previous year’s budget. These were savings realised from the completed projects,” Mofokeng said.

The DA has opposed the move, with its Emalahleni leader Nerita Naidu saying it was morally wrong to buy the car with funds meant for service delivery.

SA Local Government Association provincial spokesperson Nokwanda Ndashe said it was a requirement by law for new vehicles to be procured for mayors.

Meanwhile, Tshwane Mayor Solly Msimanga has put an end to purchases of luxury vehicles for politicians and senior officials.

“No new luxury cars will be bought or leased for politicians, and if vehicles currently owned by Tshwane require replacement, sensible and low-cost vehicles will be procured,” Msimanga said in a statement.

“I will not allow public money to be spent on luxury cars while our people struggle for services, houses and jobs.

“No more luxury cars will be bought or leased under my government. A Hyundai i20 or Toyota Corolla can do the same job for a politician as an expensive sedan,” he fired.
Solly Msimanga, newly elected Democratic Alliance mayor of Tshwane, South Africa, rejects a fleet of luxury cars for himself and instead donates it to the city's police.