The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) welcomes the first ever Demarcation and Spatial Transformation conference, to be held by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) on the 23rd and 24th June 2016.
CoGTA welcomes an opportunity to be part of this important conference convened under the theme, “Reviewing the Past and Mapping the Future”. This conference comes at an opportune time as we celebrate 16 years of democratic local government which includes reflecting on the journey we have travelled thus far and the future we envisage. Of importance is that South Africa is going to the polls on 3 August 2016, and communities will have an opportunity to elect the leaders of their choice.
CoGTA will join a plethora of well-known role-players, speakers and experts who are expected to assist shaping our cities, post the 3 August 2016 election. These role-players will include experts, law makers, government departments, public sector institutions, academics and researchers.
Minister Des van Rooyen and Deputy Minister Andries Nel from CoGTA will also be in attendance assisting to shape the discussions around issues of demarcation in the country. Minister Des van Rooyen will also deliver the keynote address at the conference on Thursday, 23 June 2016.
The conference will afford stakeholders the opportunity to discuss how to overcome the hurdles facing demarcation and contribute to the discourse on spatial transformation. Understanding the role of demarcation and its impact on the developmental role of municipalities will be a key focus area.
The MDB’s role in the evolution of a more democratic system of local government is now etched in history. However, its efforts have not always been appreciated as it sought to unravel the damage of decades of apartheid’s spatial legacy. The demarcation process in South Africa is currently posing multiple challenges such as community objections which are sometimes accompanied by objections, demands and violent protests.
The conference will review current public participation processes and the financial viability and sustainability of municipalities. It will also examine challenges facing the metropolitan system of governance and the necessity of delimiting wards every five years, as is the current obligation.
The complex demarcation issues demands a collective response and action by all role players and stakeholders as it cannot only be easily resolved by the Demarcation Board alone. This conference will therefore begin discussions and look at the demarcation trends, sustainability and viability of municipalities.
We believe that this conference will provide an opportunity for all stakeholders and go a long way in providing direction, consensus and uniformity in our approach to demarcation.
As CoGTA we hope that the outcomes of this conference will assist to move us forward and further strengthen our democracy through the work of the MDB and where possible even recommend necessary and possible changes, either legislative or otherwise.
Further details on the conference can be found here: http://www.demarcation.org.za/site/
Enquiries:
Legadima Leso
Cell: 083 378 9495
