Mergers between smaller and poorer towns should be discontinued, Xhariep, Free State residents tell Portfolio Committee

LERATO MBHIZA

Xhariep residents in the Free State have told  the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.that the current arrangement of merging small and poorer towns that have no economic activity, should be discontinued.

This emerged during the Independent Municipal Demarcation Authority (IMDA) Bill which is currently a subject of nationwide public consultation process by the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

The portfolio committee conducted public hearings on the Bill over the weekend in Edenburg, Free State where the residents suggested that the new demarcation body that the Bill seeks to create must establish smaller wards and municipalities that will be easy to manage for effective service delivery.

They said the current arrangement of vast municipalities and wards is hindering service delivery as most of these municipalities are struggling to deliver services to the people.

According to committee chairperson Fikile Xasa, residents proposed that in