Amalgamation challenges ironed out as elections draw closer
Much progress is being made to ensure smooth transition as municipalities merge or split ahead of this year’s municipal elections.
This was the evaluation of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nomusa Dube-Ncube today following an engagement with municipal leadership from municipalities that will be affected by the latest changes in municipal boundaries as recently determined by the Municipal Demarcation Board. In time before the hosting of the 2016 local government elections – expected between May and August, Mec Dube-Ncube is hastily criss-crossing the province in a bid to ensure that the changes are effected without any hurdles.
Throughout the festive season and before, she has already been overseeing the day-to-day work of the Change Management Committees, established to facilitate the merging and splitting of certain wards.
Those affected include local municipalities within uMkhanyakude District (Hlabisa and Big Five False Bay), uThungulu District (Ntambanana, uMhlathuze, uMfolozi and Mthonjaneni), uThukela District (Indaka and Mnambithi), Harry Gwala District (KwaSani and Ingwe), UGu District (Ezinqoleni and Hibiscus Coast), as well as Ethekwini Metro and uGu District (Umdoni, Vulamehlo, eThekwini Metro).
This process will see KZN municipalities decreasing from the current 61 to 54 post the 2016 elections.
Dube-Ncube confirmed that she is currently considering proposals for the name of the new municipality that will come into effect after the merger. Harry Gwala Mayor, Councilor Mluleki Ndobe indicated that the majority of stakeholders in the district suggested that the new municipality be named after the current African Union Chairperson and be called “Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma” municipality.
Dube-Ncube remained non-committal on the debate around the new names for merging municipalities. She, however, encourage municipalities to consult widely with communities and stakeholders to ensure that the proposed names of new entities bring about unity and create opportunities for positioning municipalities positively economically and to potential investors.
Following the meeting with Change Management Committees within the Harry Gwala and Ethekwini and Ugu, MEC Dube-Ncube expressed hear upbeat about the enhancement of local government in KwaZulu-Natal.
“The Change Management Committees are working around the clock to ensure that there are no challenges as we merge or split our local government structures to ensure that we create a local government that is economically viable and better capacitated to deliver on the expectations of our stakeholders and our communities in general,” she said.
“We are working to ensure that there is a strong sense of cooperation among all the role-players within the municipalities that are being affected. All levels of leadership are being brought in to ensure broad representativity of all stakeholders. This will help ensure that there is continuity in service delivery before and after the elections,” said MEC Dube-Ncube.
Contact:
Lennox Mabaso
Cell: 082 884 2403
Msawakhe Mayisela
Cell: 060 966 4220
