Outcry over expansion of Tshwane borders

Opposition parties in the Tshwane Metro Council have expressed reservations about expanding the borders of the municipality. A notice by the Gauteng MEC for local government and housing, Kgaogelo Lekgoro, stated that the new-look municipality would include the Metsweding and Kungwini local municipalities.

Lekgoro said the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) had resolved to redraw the boundaries of Tshwane, the Metsweding District Municipality and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.

The redetermination of the boundaries would exclude certain farms from the Metsweding municipality and include them in Ekurhuleni municipality.

In terms of the new municipal boundaries, Tshwane's geographical area increases from 2 199km2 to about 6 321km2.

It also represents an increase in the population of about 153 539 people, or 46 502 households.

DA councillor Brandon Topham said the new municipal boundaries meant "a total takeover of municipalities with poor management systems".

"This has created another big problem.

"ANC councillors in these municipalities (Kungwini and Metsweding) have voted against the inclusion of the councils into Tshwane.

"Communities in these areas have also rioted against the inclusion of these areas," said Topham.

The council cannot sort out the problems in areas north of Pretoria, yet new areas are being added to the municipality, he charged.

"It is a done deal... a terrible deal and it will impact negatively on the municipality," said Topham.

Freedom Front Plus councillor Dr Rentia Landman said instead of incorporating these municipalities into Tshwane, the government should assist them with expertise.

The government should keep municipalities small instead of increasing their boundaries, she argued. "You cannot throw all the municipalities into one pot and come out with one entity," she said.

African Christian Democratic Party councillor Richard Dinkelmann said the area was becoming bigger, and so were the problems.

ANC councillor and council chief whip Terence Mashego said: "There is nothing the opposition can do. If people had fears (of an ANC majority in the council), the time has come.

"There will be a new (ANC) majority in council."

Executive mayor Dr Gwen Ramokgopa said the ANC had consulted broadly with communities in Kungwini and Metsweding.

She said residents in Metsweding had previously complained that some people discussed their areas as if it did not have any potential.

"The city is changing for the better," Ramokgopa said.

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