SANDILE MOTHA
THE Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) is racing against time configuring municipal wards ahead of next year’s Local Government Elections.
Municipalities for wards’ configuration are eight in Gauteng, seven in KwaZulu -Natal and one in the Western Cape while all municipalities in Limpopo, Northern Cape, Free State and the North West also join the list.
The Municipal Demarcation Board is an independent authority responsible for the determination of municipal boundaries.
According to Barileng Dichabe, MDB spokesperson, members of the public have been urged to make their contributions via digital media as the COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown regulations had rendered it impossible for physical consultations to take place.
“Despite the looming deadline of 31 July 2020, for the written proposals on how wards should be configured. The Municipal Demarcation Board is optimistic that plans for the 2021 local government elections are well underway,” Dichabe told Inside Metros.
Dichabe added that the written submissions can be done via Email, WhatsApp or online platforms.
The written submissions process would be followed by the determination of wards for publication in the provincial gazettes.
Members of the public who are aggrieved by the new wards will be allowed two weeks to raise their objections.
“Following lengthy discussions with the Independent Electoral Commission, the MDB has vowed to hand over the second batch of wards by November 2020. This will enable the IEC to prepare for the 2021 local government elections within the current constitutional framework. Both parties have agreed that the final wards will be handed over by November 2020,” said Dichabe.
The wards are configured every five years in metropolitan and local municipalities for electoral purposes.
This is due to changes in the number of registered votes within a municipality and changes in the number of councillors for each municipality.
Last month, the Independent Electoral Commission gave the green light for the 2021 polls after initial fears that the elections would be postponed as a result of COVID-19.
The ANC had moved that the polls should be set for 2024 instead as a single event accommodating all spheres of government.
The ruling party was joined by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) who said the elections would be impossible, citing the delays in the process of determining new municipal wards.
Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, working together with the IEC will announce the date for elections.
Currently, parliament is deliberating on methods that can be utilised by citizens to cast their votes while still practising social distancing with electronic voting high on the agenda.
(Compiled by Inside Metros staff)