Durban - The province of KwaZulu-Natal could have a new local municipality by the time the country goes to the polls for the 2026 local government elections.
The municipality could be anchored in Pomeroy near Msinga in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
NEWS: KwaZulu-Natal could have a new municipality when it goes to the 2026 local government elections. The municipality could be anchored in Pomeroy near Umsinga in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. If the proposal gets the required legal nods,
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) April 5, 2023
If the proposal gets all the required legal nods, it will be made up of wards to be taken away from Msinga, Nkandla and Mvoti (Greytown) local municipalities.
This is contained in a proposal tabled by the municipal demarcation board for input before a decision is made by January 2024.
The proposal has been sent to various parties which include the IFP-run Msinga local municipality which would be most affected if this goes ahead.
The proposal also wants to move the Jangeni voting district from Msinga and move it to the nearby Mvoti local municipality.
The circular from the demarcation board which was sent to the municipality and seen by IOL, requests that all stakeholders should be informed about these proposed changes and asked to make written comments.
According to the proposal, Msinga stands to lose the following:
- Ward 1 and 2
- Ward 15 -19
- Wards 20 and 21
The insider who alerted IOL on the proposal said there is already an attempt by the municipality to oppose this move.
“There are indications that the political leadership of the municipality is preparing to fight this proposal.
NEWS: Another municipal demarcation proposal that is likely to be met with fierce opposition is the one to move the affluent areas of Intaba, Wood Grange & Hibberdene from Ray Nkonyeni local municipality to the badly run & rural Umzumbe municipality on the south coast. @IOL
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) April 5, 2023
“They see it as an attempt to weaken the Msinga municipality and turn it into a small one where there are fewer wards,” the source said.
According to the leaked minutes of the upcoming sitting of the Msinga council, this matter would be discussed in the coming weeks.
Public hearings regarding this matter would be held between June and August this year and the demarcation board would consider them between September and October.
Meanwhile, another game-changing municipal demarcation proposal that is likely to be met with fierce opposition is the one to move the affluent areas of Intaba, Wood Grange and Hibberdene from Ray Nkonyeni (Port Shepstone - Margate) local municipality.
The proposal is to incorporate these areas into the badly managed and rural Umzumbe local municipality on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal.
A proposal to move some wards from the Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma local municipality under the Harry district municipality to Impendle local municipality under the uMgungundlovu district municipality was eventually abandoned.
Also abandoned was a plan to move some areas currently under Umvoti municipality to Maphumulo local municipality in the north of Durban.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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