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Question of the Day: What is your stance on AI?
Midvaal is no more
- Thread starter Ockie
- Start date
R13...
Honorary Master
Actually getting rid of provinces would be a great idea. They deprive local government of skilled resources as no one wants to be "deployed" there in favour of more lucrative provincial postings.
OrbitalDawn
Ulysses Everett McGill
Seriously? :erm:
R13...
Honorary Master
Yes, what is the purpose of all that extra layer of government when actual deliver happens at local level? And if you take a close look at the layers, local is not accountable to province and province to national. It is just an extra layer of bureaucracy that adds little value at enormous cost to the tax paying public. Extra executive, body guards, functionaries, and all manner of hangers on just to reward loyalists.
OrbitalDawn
Ulysses Everett McGill
Oh sorry, read that the wrong way round.
But would you say National government would then have to deal directly with local government? And what about things like schools and hospitals which fall under the provincial government's jurisdiction? Expand local governments to be able to service these things as well?
Yep. But it also provides us with our federal powers, which if you ask anyone in the WC, is a great thing
TelkomUseless
Honorary Master
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it's not like they going to get rid of these extras after a merge....
ToxicBunny
Oi! Leave me out of this...
That is the problem..
They won't pare back the civil service if they lessen the number of provinces, so it will achieve nothing ultimately.
LazyLion
King of de Jungle
Parties differ over Midvaal Merger
Political parties differed on Tuesday about the proposed merger of the Midvaal and Emfuleni local municipalities, and Sedibeng district municipality, into a single metropolitan municipality.
The merger was among 167 cases the municipal demarcation board (MDB) published, detailing what changes would be made to certain municipalities following the 2016 municipal elections.
The African National Congress in Gauteng welcomed the proposed creation of the new metropolitan municipality.
"The ANC Gauteng welcomes the final ruling of the demarcation board to merge Emfuleni and Midvaal municipalities towards a Vaal Metropolitan River City," it said in a statement.
"The ruling is supported by the ANC because it will bring development and prosperity in the area of Midvaal. The merger will benefit the poor areas in Midvaal and fast-track development and housing delivery."
It said the metropolitan system of governance in Gauteng worked much better in bringing about development and service delivery.
Municipalities under the metropolitan system were more able to attract revenue and deliver services, than small district municipalities.
However, the Democratic Alliance said it would consider approaching the courts to halt the merger.
"The decision announced by the municipal demarcation board today [Tuesday] to merge Midvaal municipality in Gauteng with Emfuleni municipality is politically motivated," local government spokesman Fred Nel said in a statement.
It did not adhere to the requirements of the Municipal Demarcation Act, he said.
"The MDB clearly bowed to ANC pressure to go ahead with the merger despite thousands of objections... ."
The ANC said the MDB's ruling was appreciated because the DA-controlled Midvaal municipality had made communities "suffer for many services", including housing and sanitation.
In addition there was substantial evidence from a Special Investigating Unit report, and the Public Protector, which had pointed to corruption in the Midvaal municipality, he party said.
Nel said it boggled the mind why the merger had been given the go-ahead while the proposed merger of the Metsimaholo and Ngwathe municipalities in the Free State had been withdrawn following violent protests. The withdrawal had taken place even though it met more demarcation criteria than the Midvaal proposal.
The DA would ask the MDB to provide reasons for deciding to go ahead with the merger, despite objections, and would wait for the board's response to its submissions.
MDB chairman Landiwe Mahlangu said on Tuesday the board had received almost 10,000 objections to the cases it had published, with the majority of those objections from Gauteng.
"We have reached the final leg of this cycle and made the final determination of the cases that were before the board," he said.
"In reaching its final determinations, the board was by law expected, based on objections received, to either vary, confirm, or withdraw its decision on a particular case."
Source : Sapa /aw/kn/jk/cls/th
Date : 15 Oct 2013 13:27
Political parties differed on Tuesday about the proposed merger of the Midvaal and Emfuleni local municipalities, and Sedibeng district municipality, into a single metropolitan municipality.
The merger was among 167 cases the municipal demarcation board (MDB) published, detailing what changes would be made to certain municipalities following the 2016 municipal elections.
The African National Congress in Gauteng welcomed the proposed creation of the new metropolitan municipality.
"The ANC Gauteng welcomes the final ruling of the demarcation board to merge Emfuleni and Midvaal municipalities towards a Vaal Metropolitan River City," it said in a statement.
"The ruling is supported by the ANC because it will bring development and prosperity in the area of Midvaal. The merger will benefit the poor areas in Midvaal and fast-track development and housing delivery."
It said the metropolitan system of governance in Gauteng worked much better in bringing about development and service delivery.
Municipalities under the metropolitan system were more able to attract revenue and deliver services, than small district municipalities.
However, the Democratic Alliance said it would consider approaching the courts to halt the merger.
"The decision announced by the municipal demarcation board today [Tuesday] to merge Midvaal municipality in Gauteng with Emfuleni municipality is politically motivated," local government spokesman Fred Nel said in a statement.
It did not adhere to the requirements of the Municipal Demarcation Act, he said.
"The MDB clearly bowed to ANC pressure to go ahead with the merger despite thousands of objections... ."
The ANC said the MDB's ruling was appreciated because the DA-controlled Midvaal municipality had made communities "suffer for many services", including housing and sanitation.
In addition there was substantial evidence from a Special Investigating Unit report, and the Public Protector, which had pointed to corruption in the Midvaal municipality, he party said.
Nel said it boggled the mind why the merger had been given the go-ahead while the proposed merger of the Metsimaholo and Ngwathe municipalities in the Free State had been withdrawn following violent protests. The withdrawal had taken place even though it met more demarcation criteria than the Midvaal proposal.
The DA would ask the MDB to provide reasons for deciding to go ahead with the merger, despite objections, and would wait for the board's response to its submissions.
MDB chairman Landiwe Mahlangu said on Tuesday the board had received almost 10,000 objections to the cases it had published, with the majority of those objections from Gauteng.
"We have reached the final leg of this cycle and made the final determination of the cases that were before the board," he said.
"In reaching its final determinations, the board was by law expected, based on objections received, to either vary, confirm, or withdraw its decision on a particular case."
Source : Sapa /aw/kn/jk/cls/th
Date : 15 Oct 2013 13:27
DreamKing
Honorary Master
I feel that apartheid is coming back.
This. The Tshwane Metro is so corrupt and dirty they make Malema look honest.
qdada
Expert Member
This resonates with an issue in the US in the topical political log jam that is taking place between the Republicans and the Democrats.
Fareed Zakara who hosts CNN's GPS had a guest where they were talking about the reasons the Tea Party Republicans have gotten so extreme.
The demarcation of voting districts which are calculated to effectively using computers and surveys has put the politicians in a position where it is hard for them to loose against the opposition. The effect is that the more extreme they get, the more they seem to appeal to their constituents result in the kind of standoff we see today.
http://rss.cnn.com/services/podcasting/fareedzakaria_audio/rss.xml
Fareed Zakara who hosts CNN's GPS had a guest where they were talking about the reasons the Tea Party Republicans have gotten so extreme.
The demarcation of voting districts which are calculated to effectively using computers and surveys has put the politicians in a position where it is hard for them to loose against the opposition. The effect is that the more extreme they get, the more they seem to appeal to their constituents result in the kind of standoff we see today.
http://rss.cnn.com/services/podcasting/fareedzakaria_audio/rss.xml
LazyLion
King of de Jungle
DA to lodge PAIA Application
The Democratic Alliance will submit a Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia) application to learn the reasons for the decision to merge the Midvaal and Emfuleni municipalities.
"This will be done in terms of section 25 of the Municipal Demarcation Act," local government spokesman Fred Nel said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The municipal demarcation board (MDB) must be held accountable for its decisions and must explain its reasons in order to ensure that it adheres to the provisions of its own legal framework."
MDB spokesman Jabu Mthembu asked for questions to be e-mailed to him so he could respond later.
The merger was among 157 cases the MDB published on Tuesday, detailing what changes would be made to certain municipalities following the 2016 municipal elections.
The DA believed the decision was politically motivated.
"I call on the MDB to publish its reasons for the decision because this is in the public's interest. It must not delay doing so by hiding behind a Paia process."
The DA hoped the MDB would provide the information sought as a matter of urgency.
"Unfortunately its track record indicates otherwise as it has not yet responded to the Midvaal municipality's Paia application that was submitted more than two months ago," Nel said.
Source : Sapa /aw/tk/th/jje
Date : 16 Oct 2013 10:25
The Democratic Alliance will submit a Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia) application to learn the reasons for the decision to merge the Midvaal and Emfuleni municipalities.
"This will be done in terms of section 25 of the Municipal Demarcation Act," local government spokesman Fred Nel said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The municipal demarcation board (MDB) must be held accountable for its decisions and must explain its reasons in order to ensure that it adheres to the provisions of its own legal framework."
MDB spokesman Jabu Mthembu asked for questions to be e-mailed to him so he could respond later.
The merger was among 157 cases the MDB published on Tuesday, detailing what changes would be made to certain municipalities following the 2016 municipal elections.
The DA believed the decision was politically motivated.
"I call on the MDB to publish its reasons for the decision because this is in the public's interest. It must not delay doing so by hiding behind a Paia process."
The DA hoped the MDB would provide the information sought as a matter of urgency.
"Unfortunately its track record indicates otherwise as it has not yet responded to the Midvaal municipality's Paia application that was submitted more than two months ago," Nel said.
Source : Sapa /aw/tk/th/jje
Date : 16 Oct 2013 10:25
genetic
Honorary Master
:wtf:
Yeah, lets blame the Democrats and the Republicans for the merger of Midvaal municipality.
Compton_effect
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2006
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works for me. And I live there. I dropped my gardener off yesterday afternoon at the local squatter camp. He immediately pointed out a big gathering of people and told me it was the ANC who'd called a meeting. Then added 'Lets see what lies they tell us tonight'
Unfortunately even if it can be proved to be a political move, there are no real repercussions for it. It will cost the DA a fortune to legally challenge and if the decision is declared unlawful by the courts, it will continue to be challenged until it reaches the constitutional court, wasting more taxpayer money funding the ANC's defence of the move. And at the end of the day, all that can possibly take place is a reversal of the decision.
No actual repercussions. No heads will roll. No criminal proceedings will take place. No IEC penalties or scrutiny for that matter will be instituted. They'll simply shrug their shoulders and move on to their next toxic, selfish plan. The ANC are the political equivalent of the mafia, but far more dangerous, responsible for more deaths, responsible for more taxpayer money wasted, and with horrifying political ideals...
No actual repercussions. No heads will roll. No criminal proceedings will take place. No IEC penalties or scrutiny for that matter will be instituted. They'll simply shrug their shoulders and move on to their next toxic, selfish plan. The ANC are the political equivalent of the mafia, but far more dangerous, responsible for more deaths, responsible for more taxpayer money wasted, and with horrifying political ideals...
LazyLion
King of de Jungle
ANCYL Welcomes new metro
The ANC Youth League on Wednesday welcomed the merger of the Emfuleni and Midvaal local municipalities and Sedibeng district municipality into a metro.
"This decision takes the Gauteng province a step closer into the ANC Youth League-envisaged world class Gauteng city region," spokesman Bandile Masuku said in a statement.
The announcement of the merger was made on Tuesday by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) in Pretoria. The merger was among 157 cases the board published, detailing what changes would be made to certain municipalities following the 2016 municipal elections.
The Emfuleni municipality incorporates Vanderbijlpark and Sebokeng. Midvaal includes Meyerton and Randvaal. Sedibeng covers Heidelberg and Ratanda.
Announcing the merger, MDB chairman Landiwe Mahlangu told reporters the municipalities were interlinked.
"When an area starts to exhibit characteristics of high growth and there is evidence of an area becoming a hub of business, it has to be a category A municipality," he said.
Masuku said the merger would see better service delivery programmes and care for the citizens, particularly the youth.
The Democratic Alliance vowed to take the MDB to court, saying the decision was politically motivated.
"The MDB clearly bowed to ANC pressure to go ahead with the merger despite thousands of objections... ," local government spokesman Fred Nel said.
Nel said the party would submit a Promotion of Access to Information Act application to learn the reasons for the decision to merge the Midvaal and Emfuleni municipalities.
Source : Sapa /kn/jje/th
Date : 16 Oct 2013 13:19
The ANC Youth League on Wednesday welcomed the merger of the Emfuleni and Midvaal local municipalities and Sedibeng district municipality into a metro.
"This decision takes the Gauteng province a step closer into the ANC Youth League-envisaged world class Gauteng city region," spokesman Bandile Masuku said in a statement.
The announcement of the merger was made on Tuesday by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) in Pretoria. The merger was among 157 cases the board published, detailing what changes would be made to certain municipalities following the 2016 municipal elections.
The Emfuleni municipality incorporates Vanderbijlpark and Sebokeng. Midvaal includes Meyerton and Randvaal. Sedibeng covers Heidelberg and Ratanda.
Announcing the merger, MDB chairman Landiwe Mahlangu told reporters the municipalities were interlinked.
"When an area starts to exhibit characteristics of high growth and there is evidence of an area becoming a hub of business, it has to be a category A municipality," he said.
Masuku said the merger would see better service delivery programmes and care for the citizens, particularly the youth.
The Democratic Alliance vowed to take the MDB to court, saying the decision was politically motivated.
"The MDB clearly bowed to ANC pressure to go ahead with the merger despite thousands of objections... ," local government spokesman Fred Nel said.
Nel said the party would submit a Promotion of Access to Information Act application to learn the reasons for the decision to merge the Midvaal and Emfuleni municipalities.
Source : Sapa /kn/jje/th
Date : 16 Oct 2013 13:19
Okay there is a lot of issue confusion and misinformation happening here:
Firstly the demarcation change will occur after the next election - so 2016. There is no reason to believe that the change won't see the DA control the new metro - if you believe the DAs Gauteng trouncing banter.
Secondly this is a normal process that is in continuous process. In 2011 changes seeing Manguang and Buffalo City joining the metro list happened. During that round the idea of a Vaal metro and a metro around Pietermaritzburg were on the offering but didn't materialize into metro 9 and 10. I am damn certain that there is a push for Midvaal and curious non-push for Pietermaritzburg by the ANC in the hope of there being no DA controlled municipalities in Gauteng but it doesn't change the fact that this process has been on going.
Thirdly there are 157 cases involved in this matter with Midvaal being one of the cases. Loosing sight of potentially worse decisions is the height of stupidity. The biggest change is that we are seeing a continuation of the reduction of the number of municipalities which in itself is a very debatable approach from a basic democracy point of view.
Personally I have always favoured a situation where Gauteng has 4 or even 5 metro's and 1 "non-metro" district municipality for the province (with the local municipalities of Gauteng remaining) and adopts a more federal provincial constitution - metros being in a position to assume provincial responsibilities and so on. So the changes actually more strongly align to a more effective structure. The ANC was initially in favour of more local municipalities in Gauteng coupled with a district structure because it helped their purse and agenda of the time. The Gauteng demarcation is irrational and stupid and this change regardless of its motivation is closer to what the legislation envisages.
Firstly the demarcation change will occur after the next election - so 2016. There is no reason to believe that the change won't see the DA control the new metro - if you believe the DAs Gauteng trouncing banter.
Secondly this is a normal process that is in continuous process. In 2011 changes seeing Manguang and Buffalo City joining the metro list happened. During that round the idea of a Vaal metro and a metro around Pietermaritzburg were on the offering but didn't materialize into metro 9 and 10. I am damn certain that there is a push for Midvaal and curious non-push for Pietermaritzburg by the ANC in the hope of there being no DA controlled municipalities in Gauteng but it doesn't change the fact that this process has been on going.
Thirdly there are 157 cases involved in this matter with Midvaal being one of the cases. Loosing sight of potentially worse decisions is the height of stupidity. The biggest change is that we are seeing a continuation of the reduction of the number of municipalities which in itself is a very debatable approach from a basic democracy point of view.
Personally I have always favoured a situation where Gauteng has 4 or even 5 metro's and 1 "non-metro" district municipality for the province (with the local municipalities of Gauteng remaining) and adopts a more federal provincial constitution - metros being in a position to assume provincial responsibilities and so on. So the changes actually more strongly align to a more effective structure. The ANC was initially in favour of more local municipalities in Gauteng coupled with a district structure because it helped their purse and agenda of the time. The Gauteng demarcation is irrational and stupid and this change regardless of its motivation is closer to what the legislation envisages.
Cool E
Expert Member
Happy that changes might be implemented in 2016. So its up to DA to continue doing good work and canvassing well in those other areas. WHo knows they might win the whole municipality and still possible to win Gauteng. Show us now that you will provide good service for use after election next year. Dont turn Midvaal to Nanny Municipality by running to courts.