MBOMBELA- The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the province has accused the MEC of Community Safety , Security and Liaison Mr Vusi Shongwe for misleading the community of Siyathemba Township near Balfour by his recent promise of apparently amalgamating their municipality with Gauteng not with Lekwa as proposed by the Municipal Demarcation Board.
The party wants Shongwe to immediately retract the promise made to the residents.
Mpumalanga News has learnt that in order for Shongwe to calm the tense situation at Balfour where residents were protesting against the municipality’s proposed amalgamating with Lekwa Local Municipality, Shongwe apparently promised that the area would be amalgamated to Gauteng province and not Lekwa Local Municipality as proposed by the Municipal Demarcation Board.
Mr Bosman Grobler a DA’s spokesperson on Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) said the MEC is misleading the people because he does not have authority to change the province boundaries .
“Removing a community to another province is not a simply cut and paste exercise, we therefore call on the MEC to be practical on this matter, not just to give empty promises,”he said.
Residents of Balfour embarked on a protest which saw a number of buildings including SASSA offices and the house of the executive mayor Cllr Sarah Nhlapho being burnt down by residents who oppossed their amalgamating with Lekwa.
Schooling was also disturbed during the protest.
