Times Of Swaziland: GOVT VEHICLES  TO BE BRANDED;  NO MORE  GMAIL, YAHOO

GOVT VEHICLES  TO BE BRANDED;  NO MORE  GMAIL, YAHOO
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Nonduduzo Kunene on 31/10/2024 07:15:00


EZULWINI – The taxpayer will easily identify a government vehicle, especially
if it is abused and be able to report it as all government vehicles will be
branded.
The branding of the vehicles will include the correct national flag colours,
government logo and number plates on their bodies. This is part of the
government Corporate Identity Manual that was launched yesterday by the Ministry
of ICT. The Ministry’s Principal Secretary (PS), Phesheya Dube, as he was
taking the delegates through the manual, said government vehicles will easily be
spotted and all government ministries and departments are expected to use the
manual when branding their cars.Two of the cars were placed on display. Before,
government vehicles had a number plate that was written in red, starting with
the letters ‘GSD’. “We have decided that all government vehicles should be
branded. We think this will be helpful in terms of minimising abuse,” he said.
Abused
He said they noted that people easily abuse government cars without being
caught, because they easily remove the number plates. Under the new branding,
adding to the GSD and red number plate, the car’s registration will also be
printed on the rear bumper. The name of the ministry will be written on the
sides, with the colours of the national flag, while the car bonnet will have the
coat of arms. “This will also help in the process of tracing the cars when
they have been stolen, should they decide to remove the tracking technology,”
Dube said.
Royal Eswatini Technology Park Public Relations Officer (PRO) Senzo Malaza, who
was also the programme director, added that the abuse of government vehicles is
also costing the taxpayer dearly. He mentioned that when government vehicles
diverted routes, they consumed fuel that would have been used to deliver
services, resulting in the taxpayer incurring more fuel and servicing costs.
Adding, government vehicles have been seen being driven at odd hours, running
personal errands.