The Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) has expressed concern at disruptions reported during a public consultation session at the Mbombela Local Municipality (Mpumalanga) today.
The disruption came as the MDB this month began a three month nation-wide public consultations sessions on the draft sets of electoral wards in preparation of the 2021 local government elections.
In a statement, the MDB said the disruption was propagated by a group of individuals from Umjindi municipality who made demands not related to the ward delimitation matters discussed at the meeting.
“The MDB, has in the past, made it clear that, the outer boundary matters will only be dealt with after the Local Government Elections in 2021,” MDB spokesperson Barileng Dichabe said in the statement.
“If communities continue in this manner and disrupt the MDB meetings, they will miss an opportunity to directly engage with us however, they can still fill forms accessible on the MDB website and submit their proposals by April 2020,” said member of the board, Jane Thupana.
The MDB has called on all communities to respect the rights of others to participate and cooperate with the Board during these public consultation proceedings until they are concluded on 30 April 2020.
“Any person who wilfully disrupts or threatens the proceedings, will be committing a punishable offence as provided for in the Municipal Demarcation Act,” said Dichabe.
“In addition, the disruptions disadvantage ordinary members of the public who want to participate in having a say in how their wards would be reconfigured in preparation for the 2021 Local government elections.” – SAnews.gov.za
