Demarcation proposals for Madibeng, Hartbeespoort denied
Kaart van die voorgestelde grensverskuiwings.
The proposals by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) to incorporate some areas of Madibeng into other municipalities and separate parts of Hartbeespoort and Bapong into a new municipality were denied.
“The MDB announced last week that the proposals to incorporate parts of Madibeng into Moses Kotane, and to divide Hartbeespoort into different municipalities, have been denied,” said Elsa Lourens FF Plus councillor in Madibeng.
When the proposals were tabled last year, the MDB received strong criticism from political parties. The North West Freedom Front Plus (FF+) stated that it opposed the incorporation of the cash-strapped Madibeng municipality into the Rustenburg local municipality (RLM). FF+ member of the provincial legislature De Wet Nel said the incorporation by the Municipal Demarcation Board was “the centralisation of corruption in these municipalities”.
The FF+ led a large campaign in September last year to oppose demarcation and the proposal to incorporate parts of Madibeng into Moses Kotane. “We held several community meetings and assisted residents to formulate their opposition to the proposals. “This successful campaign is proof of the power of effective community participation,” Lourens said.
The DA, in turn, supported the MDB’s proposed split of the Madibeng municipality if the whole area south of the Magaliesberg Mountain was to be incorporated into a new municipality. “The DA supports, in principle, the split of the Madibeng Local Municipality into two municipalities. However, the proposed split of Madibeng Wards 7, 28, 29 and 30 into a new single local municipality does not make geographical sense. The Magaliesberg divides the proposed new municipality and disconnects Wards 7 and 28 from 29 and 30,” the DA leader in Madibeng, Leon Basson said at the time.