The City of Ekurhuleni is embarking on a process to vet and draft new by-laws to ensure local legislation remains true to the ideals of the Constitution and its social cohesion aspirations.
The process focuses on several by-laws that are offensive to the morality, current laws and the spirit of the Constitution. These include, but are not limited to, by-laws on bus transportation, parks, cemeteries and the use of public facilities, said metro spokesperson Themba Gadebe on Monday.
This by-law review process will also fast-track the city’s pursuit to become a single city by addressing disparities found in what is known as different towns of the City.
“Currently, different by-laws of former town councils constituting the City of Ekurhuleni lack uniformity in terms of land and public spaces, building control, public transport use and public behaviour, among others. These disparities provide a negative impact on how Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department enforces these by-laws,” he said.
The City of Ekurhuleni assures residents that public participation processes will be undertaken to ensure that residents have an opportunity to contribute to the new by-laws.
The review comes shortly after the City rolled out a process to name and rename several landmark features in the City with names that significantly bring honour and pride to residents. Both these processes seek to achieve to redress the apartheid legacy and promote social cohesion in efforts to create a national democratic society.
“The imminent by-law changes augur well as the City of Ekurhuleni is gearing up to celebrate 20 years of its formation in 2020, following the abolishment of the erstwhile nine town councils.
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• Before approval, a by-law must be published for comments by the public;
• only once all procedural requirements set out in chapter three of the Municipal Systems Act, read with the Rationalisation of Local Government Affairs Act (Gauteng) and the Standing Orders of CoE, can the council approve and pass a by-law;
• Such by-law to be approved by council within 12 months of such approval for public comment.
• The former nine councils are Brakpan, Springs, Nigel, Germiston, Kempton Park, Alberton, Boksburg, Benoni and Edenvale.
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