DA Calls the Amalgamation of Northern Gauteng Municipalities Unpractical, Non-Viable

Media Release Issued by Fred Nel, Leader DA Tshwane Caucus
Date: Monday 26 May 2008
Immediate release

Fred Nel, Leader of the DA Tshwane Caucus, today reacted to the proposed merger of the Tshwane (Greater Pretoria), Kungwini (Bronkhorstspruit) and Nokeng Tsa Taemane (Cullinan) councils and called it an unpractical and non-viable proposal. “The proposal by the Municipal Demarcation Board that these municipalities be merged is definitely a political decision and not a practical or viable one. It is clear that that due to the political problems in the various municipalities and the threat from the DA to win some of these in the next municipal election has played a role”.

“In our view the Municipal Demarcation Board was influenced by the ANC who was unhappy with the original proposal and it has buckled under the political pressure. There are problems in those municipalities and these could have been sorted out by restructuring the municipal system in those areas. Now it becomes the Tshwane Metro’s problem and the question that we have to ask is who is going to foot the bill to get service delivery restored to these areas said Nel.

Nel commented that the proposal made no sense geographically, economically or socially and will cause massive problems during the merger process. “We have just settled the Tshwane Metro Council’s integration almost eight years after it was formed and now it is going to be disrupted again due to this proposed merger. Service delivery will experience a further decline when this monstrously large municipality has to serve such a large geographic area.”

Nel also commented that millions has been spent by the Tshwane Metro Council to develop spatial development frameworks and to put a uniform planning system in place. “Our administration already creaks under the heavy load and now it will inherit three more councils that are in disarray. This will lead to another process where internal systems will have to be integrated causing further delays in municipal services.”

According to Nel the DA supported the original proposal that would have seen Silver Lakes, Mooikloof and other areas on the eastern urban edge of the Municipality be incorporated into the Metro. “The original proposal made sense as these areas formed natural linkages with the Tshwane Metro. However, the new proposal which will result in at least three major town centres very far apart from each other, does not make sense.”

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Enquiries: Fred Nel - 0832632427