Avis’ ‘web of lies’
MASERU — The International Finance Corporation consultant, Mahtab Zolghadri, says Avis took advantage of ignorance by senior government officials and raked in millions of maloti from the government.
Zolghadri in her report last June says senior government officials did not have copies of the agreement Avis entered into with the government, which gave Avis opportunity to misinform them.
Avis has been imposing monthly charges against the government despite that that was directly against the contract terms or not provided for in the agreement, according to the consultant.
In cases where the users refused to pay the over-charges, Avis have used its higher management contacts in the government to force payment directly from Treasury, she said.
“In some cases, the officials were reluctant to speak their mind because of the Avis threat to refuse giving them any priority service,” Zolghadri said.
Avis took advantage of this lack of knowledge and misinformed the ministries on contract terms.
These included:
Misinformation on Avis obligation to provide replacement of vehicles.
Imposing monthly penalty charges for excess kilometre usage.
Imposing penalties when the number of vehicle accidents within a ministry reaches a certain number.
Imposing penalties on managed maintenance vehicles used beyond the 150 000 kilometres limit.
Informing the transport officers that GoL must obtain Avis approval for purchase of any new vehicles.
Submission of repair bills to users for full maintenance lease vehicles using driver abuse as the reason.
According to the contract terms, all risks associated with operation of full maintenance lease vehicles rest with Avis and they are liable for their repair without any additional charges to the GoL.
In cases of possible driver abuse, the decision if the driver abused the vehicle must be a joint GoL/Avis decision.
Yet, Avis has been unilaterally making this decision and has been charging GoL for full maintenance leased vehicle repairs without giving the government any chance to verify or question any components of their bills, the report says.
Comment by Scorpion on 21 March 2013:
Management must start being held accountable for their non performance…..Ehlile sephali se lokela ho tsokoa ha ho le tjena. Hantle ntle li tla morao tsa bobolu ke li loss tse hlahang mismanagementeng le incompetenceng ea senior officers. Basotho le tla lula le patala tax tse holimo ho cushioner masholu ho fihlela. A ke le loaneng le bone hore lia tsoa liofising. E seng joale PAYE e tla lula e nyoloha. Hantle ntle ke lona li enablers. Ke tsona ntho tseo le tsoanetseng ho liemela ka maoto tsena. Tokelo ea hore chelete ea lona e sebetse molemong ua naha e seng ua ha ruisa motho.
Comment by M on 21 March 2013:
…did the GoL not have legal counsel? could the officials dealing with Avis not read? i think an official statement from the government could clear these, and other, issues up.
Comment by skopie on 21 March 2013:
Hmmmm!!! no wonder
Comment by Thakabanna on 21 March 2013:
The result of unaccoutable government! The DC government shall not return to power lest Basotho are fools,,,, I hate the DC and all its affiliates!
Comment by Mokoko oa Lihlaba on 21 March 2013:
Thakabanna kea kholoa o betere ,ke hore ha ke bona motho ea apereng kipa tsena tse khubelu ke utloi eka nka hlatsa ,Feela rest assured ,moleleki le mosisisli will never rule this country ,never ever,eka ba basotho re makoala ka ‘nete ,ke hore re hle re etseng li boka re phatlaletseng sechaba hore batho bana ke libolu tse jeleng chelete ea sechaba.ke phetho ke tuu.
Comment by Patriot on 21 March 2013:
Results of Nepotism
Comment by Thakabanna on 21 March 2013:
It is clear we will spent 5 years cleaning their mess – ba ne ba entse ha manyafeng ke koatile !
Comment by Joe Lekau on 21 March 2013:
Yesterday was about Lesotho Highlands Water Project where certain aspects of the Treaty were of serious concern. Toady we hear the sad Avis story one wonders what next.
Chee Lesotho le ratoa ke ba fokolang and one wonders where we are heading as a country.
Comment by Tlheko on 21 March 2013:
On the DC part u ask urself as a human hore batho ba ba ntse ba apere kipa tse khubedu ke difofu kapa ba di apere hobane ne di fanwa mahala.poverty le yona e kotsi.lcd>dc yona e bolaile Lesotho.ha ho shejwe hantle hore na AVIS e fumane tender jwang.
Comment by lenyeloi on 21 March 2013:
“the rich is getting richer everyday”…regardless of HOW…bolotsana bo teng in this whole literature….there is a skeleton in the cupboard…
Comment by Jackie Selebi on 21 March 2013:
Ha o behile lepala-paleng rona re tla feta re leletse!Shoithi! Hore na ke oa Mosisili kapa oa Thabane; Shoithi!
Comment by Groupie on 21 March 2013:
Governemnt officals who negotiated the deal ought to have consulted with their legal officers, economists, accountants and all other transport officers. Avis is a profit making company, it’s interest is to generate revenue for it’s survival. It has employed a smart GM to keep it afloat. This undermines the integrity of the govt officials. Nonetheless, s’d they
There rae a number of administrators who serve as transport officers, have they a say in whatever contracts between Avis and Govt? They have been promised Managerial ppositions in an endeavour to have technocrats astransport managers. This officers are going to advice senior govt officials if they will be consulted, but if there is no political will for improvement..charge whoever was responsible at the time he/she steps down form the position of authoriy. Unless we do that we are heading for the dungeon.
Political will in this country is ten steps forward..Alas..and one hundred steps backwards. Those in positions of authority must consult those transport managers to be for they have administrative, political and managerial skills. LONG LIVE LESOTHO..
Comment by Groupie on 21 March 2013:
Well..let me adress some of the concerns raised hereon. 1. misinformation on Avis obligation to provide replacement of vehicles: this is mostly true. It is only Ministers who are afforded the opportunity of a replacement vehicle, as for others such as other vehicles coming for service-NO. No matter hhow long is the vehicle to take.
2. Imposing monthly penalty..: This conition is never mentioned whenever a contract is entered into by the govt dept and Avis. Some Ministries are not even aware they are been charged extras.
Comment by Bobete on 21 March 2013:
LHDA, litaemane, Avis etc na hona le contract e ne reretsoe molemo ho Basotho ke ‘muso oa Pitsana? Hantle ho entsoe ka boomo ho ithuisa ke likalajane le malapa a tsona ha sechaba se omelelitse melomo. O sehloho ‘muso oa maDC khelek. Finance e ne laetse makala a ‘muso ho lefa libill tsa Avis ka ntle ho lipotso tsa letho, joale ha ho le tje ho botsoe mang mabapi le duplicate payments made? Avis ha e hlatse khafa tseo tsa rona.
Comment by Tlhase on 21 March 2013:
I am speechless! We are in serious need for good and encouraging news! We, Basotho fed this monster! I fail to understand how the ignorant people of this country still vote for the party that introduced, instilled and actively promoted, and continue to benefit form a corrupt system where Government is seen by those who work for it, as a cash cow to be milked to the very last drop! These are our taxes good people. The LCD/DC rank as the most corrupt politicians to have ruled this country and the sad thing is they continue to rule! The same leeches are ruling us in the name of the so-called Coalition and will continue to plunder our resources unabated. Basotho, the reality is that there is nothing and no one in this world that can save us safe to say, a similar fate to Sodom and Gomorrah! God Save Us.
Comment by Sandile on 21 March 2013:
It is clear that the former ruling LCD was looting the state money. They didi nt love this country. You could see by their children who attends high schools in South Africa. Please can we now look into excel government petrol tenders, please!
Comment by Siba-la-mpshe on 22 March 2013:
taba ea pele ke hore na Avis e fumane tender joang. Hakere e mong oa li-owner tsa eona e ne e le PS lekaleng le leng la muso? Ba entse ka boomo ba tebela Imperial Fleet Services hore ba tsebe ho ja ha Avis eona e reka likoloi ka discounted prices from Toyota. Ke mo khona ho tletseng eona musong mona. Muso oa Pitsana oa batla o re rekisa re shebeletse banna. Sies!
Comment by mr chinese on 22 March 2013:
selkol Moosa got so much shit with the LRA for fruading 7-8 milion in 10 years.
what will These and Lebohang Phooko get for frauding 7-8 milion a month? or its just they are Basothos so they wont be pinalized?
o, no , we still want to go to times….he
Comment by mr chinese on 22 March 2013:
instead of attacking the involved business man. Basothos choose to attack lcd and DC.
just like MKM drama , no one blames the master mind, yet they say its the system. if the mastermind dont get punished, the system will never change.
Comment by Skolopat on 22 March 2013:
Ha ba shoe bo mmatuku li tsoeu, one by one, re tla be re ilo fihla khubung
Comment by Manane on 25 March 2013:
Ke eo DC (pitsana) ka bobolu ba eona. Metsing has to show that he is different by denouncing corruption. So far he hasnt.
Comment by Tlhase on 25 March 2013:
Now that Lebo Phooko’s has over 200 million in his bank account from looting the state, maybe Lofo will get a share for being their loyal spin doctor.
It is unfortunate that the looting has now enriched these corrupt individuals for life and they are set as well as their children, grand children and next six generations of Phooko’s. Hona ke bomalimabe bo hlollang especially as it is from looting state resources.