Zuma jokes about Gordhan's proposal for Nkandla Metro

15 March 2015

I have written to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Pravin Gordhan, requesting that he furnish the Portfolio Committee with comprehensive reasons as to why the recategorisation of Nkandla was considered to become a Category A (Metropolitan) Municipality.

In his response to presidential questions on 11 March 2015, President Zuma stated (click here for full Hansard): "I'm not sure the proposal is accurate. That you put Mthonjaneni, Nkandla and others and make a metro out of them... That is not a city. I thought metros are actually derived from places that can become cities and cities that are big enough to become metros. Now, if what you are counting are small little towns... Nkandla is a small town; Mthonjaneni is very... it's just a hotel... So I don't know where that came from"

President Zuma continued to ridicule the proposal: "I had heard this differently but I'm not going to say how I heard it as a joke. Somebody said Nkandla - the residence of the President - is going to qualify as a metro. And I thought it was just a joke."

Given that even the President - as head of the Executive thinks the proposal is a joke, will Minister Gordhan consider:

1. Withdrawing said proposal with immediate effect; and 

2. Explaining to the Portfolio Committee on what basis he made the determination that Nkandla should be recategorised by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB)?

This follows MDB Circular 2 of 2015 which identifies uThungulu District Municipality in terms of section 22 of the Local Government: Municipal Demarcation Act, which Minister Gordhan has requested the MDB to consider for recategorisation as a metro. The MDB accordingly issued a section 26 Notice (DEM4251) which outlined this proposal and called for objections.

President Zuma's utterances in the house contradict Minister Gordhan - it is testimony that the President and Minister Gordhan are not on the same page. 

To date the delineation process across the country has been marred by service delivery protests, residents are unhappy that they have not been consulted by the MDB and they fear service delivery will worsen further should they be integrated into larger surrounding Municipalities. 

The MDB is an independent institution which is accountable to Parliament. Minister Gordhan must therefore ensure that any action taken by him or the board be reviewed by the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. 

Statement issued by Kevin Mileham MP, DA Shadow Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, March 15 2015

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