The Provincial Gazette recently announced that Makana Municipality will no longer have only 12 wards, there will now be an extra two wards which will include Rhodes University and Grahamstown’s surrounding areas.
The Provincial Gazette recently announced that Makana Municipality will no longer have only 12 wards, there will now be an extra two wards which will include Rhodes University and Grahamstown’s surrounding areas.
The Municipal Demarcation Board has requested that Makana Municipality consults local stakeholders of the intention to start the process of creating these two wards in time for the 2011 local elections.
In November 2009, Makana Municipality organised public participation meetings where ward committees, political organisations, government departments and non governmental organisations (NGOs) were invited to voice their views on whether they agree with the fact that Makana should undergo the expansion.
This took place in BB Zondani Hall on 23 November 2009 and in Alicedale, Riebeeck East and City Hall on 24 November 2009.
According to the Structures Act in the Provincial Gazette of the Province of the Eastern Cape, any person with an objection may do so within 14 days after the publication of the wards in the Gazette.
This means that the Municipal Demarcation Board is not allowed to extend this date. Spokesperson of Makana Municipality, Thandy Matebese explained that this means as from the date of the next local elections in 2011, the municipal council will have 28 councillors.
After having consulted the Independent Electoral Commission, the Municipal Demarcation Board has decided that the municipality will be expanded into 14 wards.
Ward 13 has 2 938 registered voters and ward 14 has 2 934 registered voters, as published in the Municipal Structures Act on 31 August 2009.
But Matebese says, the municipality cannot approve or reject this or any process due to the terms of Act which allows any aggrieved person to object within 14 days.
He declined to say, however, when the 14 day period beginsor ends. He continued to say that the purpose of a ward is for registered voters in that ward to elect a person of their choice to represent them in the municipal council, but he would not explain what purpose the two extra wards will serve.
Rhodes University was unable to comment at the time of going to print. Grocott’s Mail will report further on the two new wards in the next edition of the paper.
