The Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) presented to the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on 04 May 2022, on its annual performance plan including an update on the municipal outer boundary process which is currently being implemented until 2023 as well as challenges experienced by the entity.

The MDB concluded the ward delimitation process for the 2021 Local Government Elections (LGE) in December 2020. The ward boundaries used for the 2021 LGE will only be reviewed and amended in 2024 /25.

The MDB is currently implementing the municipal outer boundary process and not the ward delimitation process. The determination of municipal boundaries has been a recurrent feature every 5 years before the National Elections.

Submission of proposals period closed on 31 March 2022.  During June and September 2022, the proposed boundaries for class 1 redeterminations, will be published for public views in terms of section 26 of the Municipal Demarcation Act (MDA).

To offset some of the challenges grappling its operations such as the lack of regional presence, financial constraints and under capacity, the entity remains resolute to do its best with minimal resources available to raise awareness and understanding of its processes.

‘’When we have regional presence, we will be able to deliver much better however, we will do the best we can to reach the communities and ensure they understand demarcation processes and participate actively’’ said Thabo Manyoni, Chairperson of the Board.

DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF OUTER BOUNDARIES

Municipal boundaries are classified as follows:

• • • Class 1, Technical and minor boundary re-determinations – This re-determination entails a small scale boundary adjustment and alignment with a minor impact on the geographic area, a negligible or no impact on the number of voters and no impact on the capacity of the affected municipalities.
    • Class 2, Consolidation and Annexations – This is a medium scale boundary re-determination that may impact on a sizable geographic area, and number of voters in one or all the municipalities affected. This type of determination may impact on ward arrangements but will not materially impact on the capacities of the affected municipalities to deliver services
    • Class 3 – Amalgamations – This type of re-determination entails a major and large scale municipal boundary re-determination which will have a significant impact on the geographic areas, the number of voters, and the capacities of the affected municipalities, the re-determination includes the merging of adjacent municipalities or the splitting of municipal areas to create other municipal areas.
    • Class 4- Categorization – This is a type of re-determination that involves the categorisation of any new Category A Metropolitan, Category C District and Category B Local municipalities with or without boundary changes; Category A must satisfy Section 2 of the MSA and Section 24 and 25 of the Act respectively; the Board will categorise an area that qualify to be a category A municipalities after consultation with National Minister responsible for local government, the MEC for local government in the provinces concerned, and SALGA.