Demarcation board receives thousands of objections

The Municipal Demarcation Board has received 9833 objections to the 157 border cases it recently published, chairman Landiwe Mahlangu said on Thursday.

 

The objections were received in the past 30 days, after the border cases were published in the various provincial gazettes.

 

"We have now reached the end of the cycle of the redetermination of municipal boundaries," said Mahlangu.

 

He said the volume of objections did not matter. What was important was the quality of material facts that would play a role in persuading the board in reaching a final determination.

 

Mahlangu said the board would meet as soon as possible to consider the objections.

 

The Independent Electoral Commission would be informed of the outcome of the board’s final determination, which would determine the dates on which possible redeterminations would take effect.

 

The board could vary, confirm or withdraw its decision on particular cases.

 

The highest number of objections were in Gauteng, at 9792, said Mahlangu.

 

He said the case which drew the most objections was the amalgamation of the Midvaal, Emfuleni local municipalities and the Sedibeng district municipality to establish a single, category A municipality.

 

Mahlangu said the board had decided not to further consider a proposal to move Malamulele from the Thulamela municipality to its own municipality because of a lack of crucial information.

 

The Malamulele community recently went on the rampage, damaging property including vehicles, two public store rooms, 37 houses, and four offices belonging to the public works department.

 

"It is unfortunate, and I find it extremely disappointing that property was destroyed and people’s lives are going to be affected," Mahlangu said.

 

Mahlangu said the board appreciated and sympathised with the issues, grievances and aspirations of some community members in the Malamulele area.

 

However, it was disappointing that those issues had been reduced to demarcation matters.

 

He urged leaders in the region to rise to the occasion and address the matter.

 

-Sapa