Tshwane metro has expressed the intention to enhance service delivery to residents with the acquisition of nearly 100 cherry pickers to be used for maintaining street lights, electricity networks and tree-trimming services.
The arrival of the fleet of vehicles is expected to take place between November and December this year.
The new cherry pickers would follow the recent purchase of 161 vehicles launched in May and hailed for saving public money instead of spending millions of rand leasing them from private contractors.
At the time of unveiling these vehicles, the City said its purchase formed part of its fleet strategy started in 2018 to procure its own vehicles and reduce expensive lease costs.
The objective, according to the City, was to eventually end all vehicle leases and eliminate the annual R400 million that went towards servicing expensive vehicle leasing charges.
MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Dana Wannenburg, said an official order of the 80 cherry pickers had been placed and their delivery was expected to take place by the end of this year.
“The City of Tshwane is pleased to announce a significant step forward in improving service delivery with the recent receipt of award letters for the lease tender of 80 cherry pickers,” he said.
He said cherry pickers played a crucial role in ensuring that elevated maintenance tasks were performed safely, efficiently and effectively.
The addition of 80 cherry pickers, he said, would dramatically improve the City's ability to maintain and repair street lights and electricity infrastructure, ensuring safer, well-lit streets for all residents.
“By expanding our fleet, we can respond to service requests more quickly, reducing waiting times for infrastructure repairs, especially in critical areas such as electricity outages and public lighting,” he said.
The cherry pickers, he said, also provide a safer working environment for municipal staff who needed to operate at heights.
“This will lead to fewer accidents, enhanced productivity and the ability to undertake maintenance projects more effectively and efficiently,” he added.
It is also expected that the vehicles will increase operational capacity as the City will be able to deploy resources to multiple regions simultaneously, ensuring that no part of Tshwane is left behind in essential service provision.
In terms of cost-effective long-term solution, Dana said: “The leasing tender allows the City to acquire these vehicles without the full upfront cost of ownership, making it a financially prudent choice while also upgrading our service delivery capabilities.”
He said the strategic investment was a testament to the City’s commitment to modernising its operations, enhancing public infrastructure and delivering excellent services to all residents.
“It marks a critical milestone in our ongoing efforts to address community needs and create a more efficient, safe and sustainable urban environment,”he said.
Pretoria News