The Municipal Demarcation Board’s (MDB) proposed split of the Madibeng municipality is supported if the whole area south of the Magaliesberg Mountain is incorporated into a new municipality, the DA said last week.

Currently, the proposed split excludes Schoemansville (which will stay with Madibeng) but incorporates the Majakaneng/Bapong area which is approximately 40km from Hartbeespoort. It is proposed that Melodie, Ifafi, Meerhof, Rietfontein, Skeerpoort and Broederstroom are joined with areas in Majakaneng and Bapong to form a new municipality. Schoemansville, however, will remain with the Madibeng Municipality which will keep control of the immediate Brits area.
Parts of Madibeng are also to be incorporated into the Rustenburg, Moses Kotane and Moretele municipalities.
“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.
“The DA will make a submission to the MDB to consider including Ward 33 (Schoemansville) which connects directly with Wards 29 and 30 into the new municipality. In short, every area south of the Magaliesberg, including a small portion of Ward 7, should be incorporated into the new municipality.”
He said excluding Schoemansville would be detrimental to the viability of the new municipality since this ward already holds the necessary municipal infrastructure, including municipal offices, water and sewerage plants, and the required socio-economic infrastructure to sustain a municipality.
The Madibeng municipality held public participation meetings with affected wards last week during which it was resolved to object to the proposed split.
The public was given the opportunity to object by Friday last week.