Limpopo premier Stanley Mathabatha's office yesterday denied reports that the provincial government had spent millions of rands to buy new cars for MECs.

DA provincial leader Jacques Smalle said R8-million had been spent to buy new cars for seven MECs. But Mathabatha's spokesman, Kenny Mathivha, said only two cars had been bought since the premier took office.

"The claims by the DA are actually baseless," he said.

He identified the cars as a Range Rover bought for health MEC Phophi Ramathuba and a Mercedes-Benz GLE 350D bought for MEC for sports, arts and culture Onicca Moloi.

Mathivha said at one stage traffic police wanted to clamp down education MEC Ishmael Kgetjepe's car because it was old and unroadworthy.

"Anyway, Treasury would not have allowed the MECs to buy new cars if they were beyond the threshold. The DA has a mandate as opposition but should learn to tell the truth instead of lying to the public," he said.

He said Mathabatha had been using an Audi Q7 since 2013. But Smalle said Mathabatha was being chauffeured in a superfast R1.2-million 6.4-litre Jeep Grand Cherokee with extra features including brilliant paint worth R62360, smash and grab film costing R3070 and an extended maintenance plan of R12443.

He said economic development MEC Seaparo Sekoati was driven around in a R1.17-million VW Touareg 4.2 TDI executive with a four-year maintenance plan of R93939.

Kgetjepe, Smalle said, was using a Mercedes-Benz GLE 350D worth R1.11-million, while Moloi's Benz cost R1.2-million.

Ramathuba, according to Smalle, added R87872 in extras, including "indus silver" metallic paint for R4900, ebony premium headlining for R5600, alloy sparkle silver wheels for R14300, double locking for R10000, noble-plated paddle shift or R600, a rearview camera for R8700, and electric deployable towbar costing R14400, and VPS paint protection film and smash and grab film worth R18972.

"There are a lot of good cars costing around R500000 and part of the money should at least be used for service delivery," said Smalle.