The Municipal Demarcation Board is merging the Kgetleng River, Moses Kotane and the Rustenburg Local Municipalities to establish the province's first metro municipality since the dawn of democracy.
The Democratic Alliance in the province told the SABC, through their Councilor Luan Snyders, that the Rustenburg Local Municipality has not yet decided on the proposed amalgamation of some municipalities.
If implemented, the proposed merger will see the Kgetleng River Municipality in Koster amalgamated with some parts of Madibeng in Brits and the Moses Kotane in Mogwase to create a Metro Municipality.
The Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) is considering the application for a metro and preparing for public participation regarding the planned merger.
Snyders was quoted as having said: “No voting on this process has taken place in the council. The Section 79 Committee, which will handle the Demarcation Board's proposal to amalgamate the two municipalities, has been established, with two DA members on the 79 member Committee,” she stated.
Snyders was further quoted as saying that it should be noted that the DA disagrees with the amalgamation. "The Democratic Alliance, however, is calling on residents to object against the MDB's proposal to amalgamate the two municipalities," adds Snyders.
Reports have surfaced that some ratepayers in Rustenburg have allegedly rejected the proposal. One of them, Frans Rootman, said: "Rustenburg Local Municipality does not have the financial viability nor the administrative or operational capacity to perform municipal functions in your proposed new areas effectively and efficiently as prescribed,".
He added, "The Municipality cannot even fix Rustenburg's potholes or streetlights. How will they do it in Koster? The Municipality does not even properly collect outstanding debtors in Hartbeesfontein, how will they do it in Ledig, close to Sun City?” he asked.
In reaction to the latest developments, the ANC North West's Louis Diremelo stated that his organization had started a consultation process with their structures. "We have started a consultation process with our constituencies before finalizing our submissions and objections in certain suggestions as submitted now,” he stated.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Provincial Secretary, Papiki Babuile, acknowledged our media enquiry and promised to revert to this publication. However, he had yet to do that by the time of going to print.
