Vehicle-tracking firm improperly benefited from police deals — protector

Vehicle tracking and recovery company Tracker improperly benefited from the use of state resources as a result of its agreements with the police, according to public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

Mkhwebane also found that the process followed by the police in concluding agreements with Tracker for the provision of vehicle-tracking systems in vehicles belonging to the police was improper.

She investigated the agreements after a complaint was lodged with her office in 2013.

The complainant had claimed that police used state resources — including police officials, vehicles and aircraft — for the benefit of Tracker, to locate and recover vehicles stolen from the company’s clients.

It further claimed that the police had not benefited from the relationship because no fee disbursements or expenses (such as for fuel or vehicle maintenance costs) were borne by Tracker.

“I found that the process followed by SAPS in concluding agreements with Tracker and Tracker Connect for the provision of the vehicle-tracking system in vehicles belonging to SAPS were improper,”  Mkhwebane  said.

“I also found that the agreements between SAPS and Tracker resulted in Tracker improperly benefiting from the use of state resources.”

Tracker said  in a statement that it disagreed  with the  finding that Tracker “improperly benefits from the use of state resources”. 

It said though the public protector correctly noted that the police used its personnel and resources to recover clients’ stolen or hijacked vehicles, she did not place sufficient emphasis on the fact that the service also worked closely with other vehicle-recovery companies to recover their clients’ vehicles. — TimesLIVE