Ernest Mabuza
6 January 2009
Johannesburg — THE government would initiate legislation to give effect to the will of the majority of the communities affected by boundary disputes, Provincial and Local Government Minister Sicelo Shiceka said yesterday.
In November , the Constitutional Court ordered Shiceka to file an affidavit setting out the steps he intended to take to accommodate the concerns of the Moutse community. The community, once a cross-boundary municipality between Mpumalanga and Limpopo, brought a Constitutional Court challenge against the area being demarcated into Limpopo.
When the case was supposed to be heard in November , Shiceka asked the court for more time to consult the residents.
In his affidavit filed last month, Shiceka said that when he took office in September he was immediately confronted with long-standing boundary disputes in Merafong, Matatiele and Moutse. Shiceka said he wanted to deal with these issues as fast as possible as it was unsatisfactory that these communities were dissatisfied .
" It is desirable to take steps to resolve these issues by means other than through litigation," Shiceka said.
In Merafong's case, the court in June dismissed the application by residents who wanted the municipality to be placed in Gauteng instead of North West.
Shiceka said he began the consultation process in the Merafong/Khutsong, area where it became apparent that the majority of the people in the area wished to be incorporated into Gauteng. He said he had initiated legislation to incorporate the whole of the Merafong municipality into Gauteng.
"Intensive executive action will be needed to smooth the transfer to Gauteng."
Shiceka said he intended to fast-track a process of consultation in the Moutse and surrounding areas and the work began last month .
"Government officials will engage with structures and stakeholders in the community. Thereafter, I and other senior officials will meet with representatives of community stakeholders and structures.
"The goal of these engagements will be to examine how best to accommodate the views of the majority of the affected communities."
After the consultation process, Shiceka said he would appoint a transitional committee to ascertain the views and preferences of communities regarding re-demarcation. The establishment of the committee was approved by the cabinet last month .
Once the consultative processes have been completed Shiceka said he would initiate the legislative processes that would give effect to the will of the affected communities.
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