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West Rand Metro: Premier Makes An About-Turn On Merger

Gauteng Premier David Makhura today made an about-turn on his previous position of the viability of a West Rand metro – instead singing the praises of the formation of a city region.

During question time in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature today, the premier chose to toe the ANC line by claiming that the formation of a West Rand metro would be to the benefit of the people, and that it would be another step closer to the Gauteng City Region.

However, reality dictates otherwise, as one cannot expect one healthy and three lame horses to pull a cart as effectively as four healthy horses.

The fact is that one cannot fix poor performing municipalities by merging them into larger metropolitan areas without building the professional capacity of officials.

Instead of pushing for the establishment of a metro, the provincial government and district municipality should use the mandate of the Constitution and municipal legislation to assist municipalities where necessary – and improve service delivery and people’s quality of life.

Furthermore, the premier completely ignored the R1,5 billion outstanding debt burden and massive infrastructure decline in the four local municipalities, nor could he provide any guarantees over who foot the bill of streamlining and coordinating systems once the merge has been completed.

The Premier should have told the people of the West Rand that his government would first address poor accountability, lack of administration and poor financial management in the four municipalities.

The DA will continue with our efforts to ensure that service delivery and quality of life take precedence over poorly conceived ideas.

 

Media enquiries:

Solly Msimanga MPL

DA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson

060 558 8308

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West Rand Metro: Efficient Service Delivery is Key, Not Centralisation

Proposed West Rand Merger

Representatives of the ANC on the West Rand continue to push for the formation of a new Metropolitan Municipality, despite those in higher office within their own structures admitting the municipalities in question are dysfunctional and bankrupt.

During the 2015/16 budget debate for his office, Gauteng Premier David Makhura clearly stated that: ”The merger of municipalities cannot be a panacea to poor management and poor leadership…”.

Furthermore, Section 24 of the Municipal Demarcation Act stipulates that when board re-determines a municipal boundary it must take into account:

  • The provision of democratic and accountable government for local communities;
  • The provision of services to these communities in an equitable and sustainable manner; and
  • The promotion of social and economic development.

Research and factual evidence indicates that such mergers have a negative impact on service delivery and people’s quality of life.

The Tshwane Experience

Tshwane’s merger resulted in increased rates hikes, yet it still struggles with a debt burden of over R1 billion – and only received R20 million from national government towards the costs of the merger.

The West Rand will not be exempt from this process.

While some in the ANC claim that those opposed to the merger are missing an “opportunity to be futuristic”, the DA firmly believes that this merger will be severely detrimental for West Rand residents from all walks of life, that service delivery will further decline, and that the quality of life will suffer.

Effectively Administered Municipality

The DA’s objection to this merger proposes a future where the existing municipalities of Randfontein, Mogale City, Merafong and Westonaria are administered efficiently and cleanly by municipalities that are close them and readily available to serve their needs, and where residents are provided with equal opportunity to be the masters of their own future.

Sign our petition opposing the proposed West Rand metro here.

 

Media enquiries:

Solly Msimanga MPL

DA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson

060 558 8308

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West Rand Merger: Let The Facts Do The Talking

Continuous Financial Mismanagement

West Rand District Municipality Mayoral spokesperson, Dennis Mangope, must stick to the facts of the consequences of merging four West rand municipalities into a single metro.

While the DA is certainly opposed to the merger, our position is informed by researched and factual evidence – and the effects of such mergers on service delivery and people’s quality of life.

The proposed West Rand Metropolitan municipality will start off on the back foot, as it will be saddled with a combined debt of over R1,5 billion – a severe blow to quality service delivery.

This figure excludes Westonaria, who as a result of continuous financial mismanagement, could not report on its debtors. One can only imagine how much more debt the new metro would be saddled with after this has been added.

The Tshwane Experience

While mayors and municipal officials claim that the merger would assist individual municipalities struggling with service delivery issues, the fact is that streamlining service delivery mechanisms and practices will have massive cost implications on the new metro.

Furthermore, claims that sharing and redistribution of financial resources would improve service delivery standards and efficiency are completely misguided as the metro inherits more debt than income.

The formation of a West Rand Metro will severely affect the quality of life of almost a million of Gauteng’s residents and government must heed the lessons learnt from the Tshwane experience – where after four years, despite increases in rates hikes, it still struggles with a debt burden of over R1 billion – and only received R20 million from national government towards the costs of its merge.

Municipal Demarcation Act

According to the Municipal Demarcation Act, certain criteria must exist when considering the formation of a metropolitan municipality. These include but are not limited to:

  • Population size;
  • Geographical size;
  • Infrastructure; and
  • Economy

A West Rand Metro would be the second largest metropolitan municipality in Gauteng, but would only have a population size one fourth that of Johannesburg, the province’s most densely populated. It would have the highest levels of unemployment and numbers of people living in informal settlements.

Given the West Rand District’s current state of affairs, the establishment of a metropolitan municipality would struggle to meet these very pressing needs.

#NoToWRMetro

In fact, a merger is now being regarded as the panacea for all service delivery ills, while other more effective intervention methods in existing legislation have been ignored and cast by the wayside.

Stronger financial and administrative controls in the local municipalities and the district itself are required – and the political will to implement these measures.

There are many successful instances of strong, competent local municipalities in South Africa – Midvaal is a perfect example in Gauteng

The people of the West Rand deserve local government that is close to them and in tune with their service delivery needs – and a merge into a metropolitan municipality will have the opposite effect.

 

Sign our petition opposing the West Rand metro.

 

Media enquiries:

Solly Msimanga MPL

DA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson

060 558 8308

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West Rand Metro: Debt Burden will Strangle Service Delivery

Proposed West Rand Metropolitan Municipality

The proposed West Rand Metropolitan municipality will be saddled with a combined debt of over R1,5 billion – which will severely compromise quality service delivery.

According to the latest Government Gazette on Gauteng’s municipal statements, West Rand municipalities carry a massive debt burden outstanding more than 90 days.

  • Merafong – R588,95 million;
  • Mogale City – R629,89 million;
  • Randfontein – R199,01 million; and
  • West Rand District – R1,146 million.

Financial Mismanagement

Due to continuous financial mismanagement, Westonaria was unable to report on its debtors, but that would only add to an already unmanageable debt burden for the proposed metro.

While mayors and municipal officials claim that the merger would assist individual municipalities struggling with service delivery issues, the fact is that streamlining service delivery mechanisms and practices will have massive cost implications.

Furthermore, claims that sharing and redistribution of financial resources would improve service delivery standards and efficiency are completely misguided as the metro inherits more debt than income.

The formation of a West Rand Metro will severely affect the quality of life of almost a million of Gauteng’s residents, and government must heed the lessons learnt from the Tshwane experience – where after four years, it still struggles with a debt burden of over R1 billion, and only received R20 million from national government.

The people of the West Rand deserve local government that is close to them and in tune with their service delivery needs.

#NoToWRMetro

 

Media enquiries:

Solly Msimanga MPL

DA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson

060 558 8308

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West Rand Residents Object Strongly to Proposed Metro

West RandSolly Msimanga DA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson

This past weekend residents of the West Rand came out in their numbers to object to the proposed creation of a metropolitan municipality.

On Saturday and Sunday the DA ran a coordinated awareness campaign throughout the Merafong, Mogale City, Westonaria and Randfontein local municipalities, informing residents of the proposals, and that the deadline for objections expires on 5 June.

Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB)

Residents were completely unaware of the proposals and the deadline, but immediately undertook to lodge their objections with the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB), and signed the DA’s petition opposing the metro – which would be lodged as part of our objections.

The DA is strongly opposed to merging these local municipalities into a metro, as we believe that Cooperative Governance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his provincial counterpart Jacob Mamabolo had other avenues to address the host of administrative governance issues plaguing these municipalities.

The Tshwane Experience

The Tshwane experience has also shown that service delivery has not improved when merging poor performing municipalities, despite the fact that municipal rates were increased – as the debt burden is simply too much to bear.

Tshwane had to absorb a cost of R1 billion to accommodate the merge, and was only compensated R20 million by the provincial government.

This week, the MDB is scheduled to host public participation meetings in each of the four municipalities, and the DA calls on the greater public to arrive in their numbers and raise their concerns and/or objections with the board.

The meetings are scheduled as follows:

  • Tuesday 2 June, Randfontein Council Chamber at 14h00
  • Wednesday, 3 June, Mogale City, Centenary Hall at 15h00
  • Thursday 4 June, Westonaria, Banquet Hall at 15h00
  • Friday 5 June, Carletonville Civic Centre at 15h00

 

The DA will remain at the forefront of the battle for better service delivery and to prevent the formation of a dysfunctional West Rand Metropolitan Municipality.

 

Media enquiries:

Solly Msimanga MPL

DA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson

060 558 8308

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