In the run-up to next year’s local municipal election, the Municipal Demarcation Board has proposed the Toti urban area be split from two into four wards.
In its proposal, using the coast as guideline, ward 93 demarcates a stretch of six kilometre coastline from the Mbokodweni River at the Amanzimtoti Golf Club to Shad Place on Beach Road, before cutting inland along Lewis Drive and Adams Road to include the urban voting stations at Athlone Park library, Umbogintwini Primary School, Kuswag Skool and the rural voting stations of Kusakusa Primary School, Ezimbokodweni community hall, Ziko community hall and Sewula School.
Ward 97, currently demarcated as a coastal ward starting from Shad Place continuing south past the Karridene Hotel to the Msimbazi River just before Umgababa, is proposed to be divided into three sections.
The first being four kilometres from Shad Place to Leslie Road and including Doonside and the urban voting stations of Amanzimtoti Civic Centre and Doonheights Primary School before extending across the current border of Old Main Road inland towards Bhekulwandle and including the rural voting stations at Mthombeni School, Bhekulwandle School, Baphehli community hall and Bhekulwandle community hall.
It further proposes that the four kilometre coastline between Leslie Road through Warner Beach and Winklespruit up to the Lovu River, thereby including the urban voting stations of the Lions Club and Warner Beach Primary into the new ward 109 that will run inland along the R603 towards Adams Mission with rural voting stations located at Illovo Primary School, Illovo B community hall and Illovo C community hall.
The remaining three kilometre coastline south of Lovu River including Illovo Beach, Panorama Park and Karridene is proposed to be included into ward 98 that runs south and inland towards Umgababa and Mnini.
“Taking into consideration the inclusion of several wards from other struggling neighbour district and/or local municipalities into eThekwini, it is recommended that the metro increase the number of wards from its current 103 to 110 wards, reflecting a minimum of 14,243 and maximum of 19,269 registered people in each,” said ward 97 councillor, Andre Beetge.
The number of voters in a municipality dictate how many wards there should be, with intervention from the provincial MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and the minister of COGTA.
“These recommended demarcations are supposed to be done in line with a set of expectations, not least being the need to avoid as far as possible the fragmentation of communities and the clear identification of ward boundaries – natural borders such as rivers, valleys and ravines should also be considered.
The logic of proposing to divide an established and culturally defined community between four areas of accountability, other than for obscured political gain or obsessive control, goes beyond comprehension.
While the Municipal Demarcations Board is yet to invite public participation or advertise dates for such interaction where it concerns eThekwini, I urge residents to visit the website www.demarcation.org.za and all possible media to acquaint themselves with the programme and procedure should they wish to express objections.”
The Sun sent queries to ask what the Demarcation Board’s reasoning is behind the proposal, but is still awaiting a response.
How will the proposal to increase the number or wards affect Toti?
