Parliament, Sunday, 25 June 2023 – The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has today successfully concluded the Eastern Cape leg of its public hearings on the Independent Municipal Demarcation Authority (IMDA) Bill at New Brighton’s Nangoza Jebe Hall in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality.
The Bill was supported by an overwhelming majority of residents of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. The residents appreciated the establishment of the Independent Demarcations Appeal’s Authority, and the fact that it will be completely independent, impartial and will perform its functions without fear, favour or prejudice. They said it will enable them to lodge their complaints directly to an independent authority.
The residents told the committee that they were happy with the proposal that the Board may only determine or redetermine a municipal boundary every ten years. Furthermore, they indicated that this will help to restore stability in their municipalities, as the five-year period has caused so much damage. They expressed their hope and optimism that the Bill will afford the board an opportunity to engage with communities regarding issues that determine the demarcation of boundaries.
The residents who were against the Bill highlighted their frustration that demarcation has caused a huge damage and made great negative impact on service delivery. The committee conducted the public hearings on the Bill in the OR Tambo and Amathole District Municipalities before it came to Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality today.
The IMDA Bill seeks to repeal and replace the current Municipal Demarcation Act of 1998, so as to align and update the legislation with current Demarcation Board practices. This includes migration of the current Municipal Demarcation Board’s functions from the Municipal Structure Act of 1998 to the new Bill. It proposes, among other things, to provide for the establishment, functions and powers of the Independent Municipal Demarcation Authority; and to provide for the criteria and procedures for the determination and redetermination of municipal boundaries.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Fikile Xasa, said the committee is very happy with the quality of inputs it received in the Eastern Cape. “There was a general support of the Bill and understanding that the Bill itself is a solution to some of the problems they have experienced, especially about ward delimitation,” he said.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, MR FIKILE XASA.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Name: Nolizwi Magwagwa (Ms)
Tel: 021 403 2465
Cell: 081 7165824
E-mail: nmagwagwa@parliament.gov.za
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