“The proposed incorporation of the Midvaal municipality in Meyerton and the Emfuleni municipality which would include Vereeniging and Vanderbijl Park into a new metro council as well as the moving of Heidelberg-Lesedi to the Ekurhuleni Metro on the East Rand, is heading for a service delivery disaster, Mr. Jaco Mulder, FF Plus MPL for Gauteng says.
The mere redistribution of resources in itself will not bring about any wealth and improved service delivery in the Vaal Triangle but will boil down to a redistribution of poverty. The region needs strong leadership and expert officials who could ensure service delivery.
The integrated development plan of all three the relevant local authorities do not make any provision for such integration and the already bankrupt Emfuleni municipality’s debt burden will have to be carried by the Midvaal taxpayers.
Furthermore, a few public meetings with no in-depth information about budgets and the influence on the integrated development plans were totally inadequate to be considered to be sufficient public participation.
The FF Plus had already on 17 April 2013 register its appeal with the demarcation board after public hearings were held between 7 and 11 April 2013 in the two municipal areas and various other areas in South Africa. The chairperson of the municipal demarcation board, Mr. LJ Mahlango, only signed the notices of the public hearings on 3 April 2013 – less than 6 days before the public hearings would take place and the public notices appeared in newspapers as late as 7 April 2013.
The appeal is based on the spirit of the South African constitution as contained in section 33 which in no uncertain terms in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 stipulates the right to fair administrative action and The Promotion of Access to Information Act, 3 of 2000.
The FF Plus is convinced that the municipal demarcation board had decided a long time ago to continue with this step and that public meetings would have very little influence on the decision. The FF Plus had contacted the municipal demarcation board during 2012 already to obtain some clarity about the issue and also recently held a presentation before the demarcation board, without any reaction.
An online petition which the party had launched at www.mymunisipaliteit.org.za to demonstrate the opposition to the proposed merging of the municipalities have been signed by thousands of people. Mulder called on the public to support the FF Plus and all relevant institutions to prevent the establishment of the metro, even if it does result in legal action.
Jaco Mulder, MPL
082 466 3786
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