DA considers legal bid to halt MDB's political move on Midvaal merger

The decision announced by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) today to merge Midvaal Municipality in Gauteng with Emfuleni municipality is politically motivated as it does not adhere to the requirements of the Municipal Demarcation Act that governs such mergers.

The MDB clearly bowed to ANC pressure to go ahead with the merger despite thousands of objections to the merger. This draws into question the independence of the MDB which seems to have become another extension of the ANC government as it is willing to take decisions contrary to objective requirements.

It boggles the mind that the Midvaal merger was given the go-ahead while the Metsimaholo proposal was withdrawn after violent protests, especially since the Metsimaholo proposal adhered to more demarcation criteria than the Midvaal proposal.

The MDB takes these decisions without any accountability for its outcomes as illustrated by the Tshwane metro's estimate that the merger with Kungwini and Nokeng Tsa Taemane has cost it over R1 billion for which it was not compensated.

The DA will now request the MDB to provide us with its reasons for making the decision to go ahead with the merger despite objections and awaits the Board's response to its submissions.

Since all administrative processes to prevent the merger to go ahead has been exhausted the DA will now seriously consider taking the MDB's decision on review in court. The MDB's decisions has not been tested this vigorously before and the DA believes it has a case to answer for proposals.

Statement issued by Fred Nel MPL, DA Gauteng Local Government spokesperson, October 15 2013

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