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Media Room
Emfuleni Local Municipality's Executive Mayor welcomes the proposed creation of a metro
16 October 2013 - On Tuesday 15 October 2013, the Municipal Demarcation Board made the announcement in Pretoria that Emfuleni and Midvaal will be merged to form a Category A Municipality in 2016.
Addressing members of the media, MDB Chairperson Lindiwe Mahlangu said the current and future growth prospects of the two local municipalities were taken into account when the decision was made.
“As Emfuleni Local Municipality we welcome the announcement as there are many benefits associated with an establishment of a Metro. Some of these benefits include improved services as a results of removing duplications, a much more efficient and effective administration by cutting bureaucratic red tape,” said the Executive Mayor of Emfuleni Cllr Greta Hlongwane.
The Municipality is in full agreement with the MDB Chairperson that 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. “Furthermore, the establishment of a Metropolitan Municipality will see the establishment of single authority meaning that there will be one Municipal Council, one administration headed by one Municipal Manager and one Mayor instead of the current three Mayors, Speakers, Chief Whips, Members of Mayoral Committees. The benefits of a single authority are immense and far outweigh risks,” Mayor Hlongwane said.
She said the Municipality will continue to encourage the business sector and other stakeholders to rally behind the proposed merger as this will have positive economic spin offs for the region.
“We believe that the outcome of the Public Participation Process meetings we held jointly with the Municipal Demarcation Board in four regions within our area between 29 November and 05 December 2012, gave us a clear indication of what the public wants. If this is what they want we will support them as we have always stood for participatory system of local governance,” Hlongwane concluded.
Issued by the Communication Unit
Enquiries: Klaas Mofomme
Spokesperson: Emfuleni Local Municipality
Contact: 016 – 950 6454/ 082 610 5718
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