The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Municipal Reporter
THE cash strapped Bulawayo City Council, which recently launched a blitz of cutting water to consumers who owe them money to help boost their coffers has bought a new top of the range Mercedes Benz GL Class for the Mayor, Councillor Martin Moyo.
The Mercedes Benz GL Class was handed over to Clr Moyo on Thursday afternoon and by last Friday he was already doing council business in his new wheels.
Confirming the development, council spokesperson Miss Bongiwe Ngwenya said the vehicle was bought under a council resolution, noting that this was just part of the local authority’s policy.
“As per council’s resolution some time back the Mayoral vehicle has been purchased,” said Miss Ngwenya.
She, however, could not confirm the purchase price of the vehicle saying that she would only have the details tomorrow (Monday), when she gets to the office.
An online search of the vehicle reveals that it is one of the latest range by Mercedes Benz having been released last year and its cost ranges between $70 000 and $120 000 before duty. The car was also a finalist as the 2016 Best Luxury Large SUV for Families.
“The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is a full-size luxury SUV produced by the German carmaker Mercedes-Benz since 2006. It is a three-row, seven-passenger vehicle positioned above the M-Class/GLE-Class in the lineup and is the flagship of the Mercedes-Benz SUV line. The GL shares the same unibody architecture with the M-Class,” reads part of its description on rankingsandreviews.com
In 2010, the local authority raised the ire of residents after they splashed $65 000 towards the purchase of a luxurious Dodge Chrysler for its former Mayor, Mr Thaba Moyo at the expense of service delivery.
