Durban - eThekwini Municipality will host an online auction to sell some of its assets including cars and goods in the coming days.
The details about the auction including when it will take place will be released this week, the municipality said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.
“EThekwini Municipality in partnership with Auction specialist, will be hosting an online auction. A variety of vehicles and goods will be available for purchase,” said the statement.
“The auction is open to all members of the public, and previously disadvantaged individuals are encouraged to participate in order to advance radical economic transformation,” the municipality said.
The news drew interest from city residents curious about participating, but some took to social media to mock the auction describing it as a rigged game
One person posted: “Everyone is invited. But some contact will get it”.
The municipality responded to the comment disputing that the auction was rigged.
Over the years the municipality has hosted several auctions and some of these have attracted controversy.
In 2019, The Mercury’s sister newspaper, Daily News, reported on a similar auction that a municipal car auction opened to all races was marred by threats towards Indians during bidding before a court order was presented preventing the auction from continuing.
According to an Indian prospective buyer, a black buyer told another Indian “you better leave it uncle, or you’ll have trouble”.