By Johnathan Paoli
The Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) has expressed confidence ahead of the local elections expected in November, noting that while some litigation remains, most of the country’s wards are ready.
Briefing Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on Wednesday, MDB chairperson Thabo Manyoni said the immediate priority is finalising ward delimitation.
However, post-election plans will shift toward addressing deeper structural challenges in local governance.
These include the concept of “district-less municipalities”, which could pave the way for mergers, boundary changes, or even the dissolution of underperforming municipalities.
The MDB’s long-term strategic plan, presented alongside its 2026/27 Annual Performance Plan, includes proposals for municipal boundary re-determination by 2030, signalling a post-election phase of structural reform.
Manyoni said the board is working to ensure all ward boundaries are finalised and handed to the IEC in time for the 2026 polls, describing the process as critical to electoral
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