Municipality boasts a small fleet of new vehicles worth R11m

GEORGE NEWS - George Municipality's Electrotechnical Services and Community Services have taken delivery of a small fleet of vehicles worth about R11m including a heavy-duty 24m aerial platform cherry picker, a purpose-built crane, tipper trucks and an aerial platform specifically for cutting trees.

Mayor Leon van Wyk, who went to check out the new fleet, is very impressed with the new tipper trucks and mobile aerial platform that was bought for the Community Services Directorate.

The mobile aerial platform was specifically bought for the pruning and cutting of trees and vegetation and will be extremely useful.

Van Wyk said the money was well spent by the Electrotechnical Services Directorate on six bakkies with custom-made roof racks and a heavy-duty 4 x 4 cherry picker and a heavy-duty crane that extend to 24m and 22,5m respectively.

This equipment is of high quality and will be in use for a good many years.

Mayor Leon van Wyk: Director of Electrotechnical Services Bongani Mandla; and Portfolio Councillor for Electrotechnical Services Nosicelo Mbete with the FVZ1400 6x4 crane with a lifting capacity of 450kg at 22,5m (max outreach), fitted with remote controls and boom stabilisers. This purposely built truck with its crane is for high mast lighting and lifting of loads in difficult or far-reaching terrains.

Mayor Van Wyk standing in the 24m Arial Platform cherry picker with Cllr Nosicelo Mbete and Bongani Mandla next to him. The cherry picker is used for maintenance of high voltage lines (66 000 volts), and can service all infrastructure components at heights. The outriggers have modified footings and angles including a chassis filled with concrete for stability and rigidity. This is the highest arial platform device fitted to FTR 850 4x4 built by Isuzu SA.

From left are Clr Nosicelo Mbete; Mayor Leon van Wyk; Director of Electrotechnical Services Bongani Mandla; and senior manager of substations at electrotechnical services Jacques Lawrence, with three new LDV 1-ton bakkies that have raised bodies and differential locks for use on rough terrain and are fitted with heavy-duty roof racks.

Mayor Leon van Wyk in the new mobile aerial platform to be used by Community Services for cutting trees and at the waste transfer station. At the back are two brand-new tipper trucks for street cleansing. With the mayor are, from left: manager of environmental services Nosidima Vumindaba; senior manager of environmental services Sivuyile Mtila; deputy chair section 80 community services Clr Erica Brown; and Portfolio Councillor for Community Services: Parks, Refuse and Environment Jean Safers.