Four government vehicles were impounded at the weekend after officials misused them, North West transport MEC Phenye Vilakazi said yesterday.

Four government vehicles were impounded at the weekend after officials misused them, North West transport MEC Phenye Vilakazi said yesterday.

The vehicles were removed from officials who were driving them without authority or who were carrying unauthorised passengers. One vehicle was loaded with alcohol.

Chief provincial inspector Vincent Mogopodi said that on average between five and ten state vehicles were impounded in the province a month.

Vilakazi said driving a state vehicle without proper authorisation was "very serious misconduct" which could lead to dismissal.

He said that harsher action would be taken against officials who misused state vehicles.

"We owe it to our people to use state transport for the delivery of services. When irresponsible actions such as the ones by the involved individuals occurs, we must act, and act strongly, because some of the people involved are not first- time offenders," he said. - Sapa