ANC using the municipal demarcation board as proxy to power grab

26 April 2023

The DA strongly objects to the proposed plan, published for comment by the Municipal Demarcation Board, to create a category A municipality under the uMgungundlovu District Municipality by absorbing Msunduzi Municipality and other neighbouring municipalities.

This move would effectively dissolve the Msunduzi Municipality, which under present circumstances we believe would be a grave mistake. These proposed demarcation changes are a thinly veiled attempt at political gerrymandering.

The ANC is utilising the municipal demarcation board as a proxy to advance its attempts at a power grab by dissolving Msunduzi, Impendle, Mkhambathini, Mpofana, Richmond, uMngeni, uMshwathi, which are all the local municipalities under uMgungundlovu District, and amalgamating them into a metro.

Msunduzi is currently under administration, and the municipality is struggling to provide even the most basic service delivery to its residents. The challenges facing the municipality are complex and include financial mismanagement, corruption, and inadequate service delivery.

Given the enormity of these challenges, the proposed amalgamation will not provide a solution to these problems. Instead, but could exacerbate these challenges.

Merging multiple municipalities into a single entity is a complex and time-consuming process that requires careful planning and execution. In the case of Msunduzi, where basic service delivery is already a challenge, this process could divert attention and resources away from addressing the municipality's current issues, resulting in even more service delivery failures.

We strongly urge the government to focus on addressing the current challenges facing Msunduzi before considering any plans for amalgamation.

Issued by Hannah Winkler, DA Midlands Constituency Head, 26 April 2023