VEREENIGING. – Democratic Alliance (DA) Sedibeng caucus leader Dady Mollo says that the DA will fight until the end to ensure that Midvaal Local Municipality is not amalgamated with Emfuleni Local Municipality to form a metropolitan municipality (metro).
Mollo says that the two municipalities are oil and water and therefore cannot be merged. This comes after Sedibeng District Municipality Executive Mayor Simon Mofokeng made remarks during his state of the District Address (SODA) saying that a metro would function better than the small local municipalities and that all the budgets combined would go a long way in terms of providing a better service to residents.
“Midvaal Municipality is one of the best municipalities if not the best on local level and ELM is the opposite. ELM is unable to deliver adequate services for the people of Emfuleni.” Mollo states that if a metro is formed, people will not be able to reach the local government and make it accountable as they are already struggling with service delivery.
Mofokeng during his State Of the District Address (SODA) says, “The move towards metro remains firmly on track. There is consensus that the future of the Gauteng province is a global city region of five metros. The announcements have been made, the demarcation board is busy with the ward delimitation process, and we are en route to becoming a metro.
“The legal challenge by Midvaal will run its course and we keenly await the outcome,” Mofokeng concludes. Midvaal Local Municipality Executive Mayor Bongani Baloyi in an interview with a local radio station maintained that Midvaal does not qualify to become a metro, adding that they had already challenged the municipal demarcation board.
