Wards to be readjusted with merger

Umjindi Municipality wards will be reduced from nine to a five when Umjindi and Mbombela local municipalities finally merge before the upcoming 2016 local government elections.

This was revealed last Friday at the Barberton Town Hall during the municipal demarcation board’s (MBD) public consultation meeting about ward delimitation in the area.

According to Shivon Wiggins, MBD member, the aim of the gathering was to work through the draft ward maps.
“The purpose of the meeting is to give you an opportunity to indicate which draft wards are acceptable. It is also to give you an opportunity to submit alternative proposals for consideration by the MBD,” said Wiggins.

She explained the criteria and guidelines to be used on the ward delimitation by any stakeholder proposing. Physical characteristics such as roads, rivers and mountains must be taken into consideration when delimitating happens. She further called voters to visits the local Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) offices to re-register as voting station would change in then area.

Despite the DA’s objection regarding the merging of Umjindi with Mbombela, Wiggins confirmed that the issue had already been finalised.
She called on those who might have proposals on the ward draft delimitation to do so within the next 14 days starting from Friday October 9.

She said once all the proposed delimitations had been received, they would be published in the provincial gazette for objection.
“Any aggrieved person or stakeholder, once the proposed delimitation of wards has been published, will have 14 days to object. The MBD will then consider everything and then publish its final decision,” said Wiggins.
She said the MBD will endeavour to provide the final boundaries to the IEC before the end of November to prepare for local government general elections next year. They are expected to be held from May 18 to August 16.

Dr Derrick Ndlovu, Umjindi director of corporate services presented a plan on the draft ward map, which was signed by speaker, Cllr Vusi Mkhatshwa, on behalf of Umjindi.
“We propose that that side (Mbombela) should start from one to 40 and here (Umjindi) start from 41 to 45,” said Ndlovu.
The meeting was poorly attended as fewer than 150 people from the estimated 31 920 registered voters attended it. Short notice, non-publication of the meeting in local print media and people being at work, were among issues attributed to the low number of attendees.

Rebecca Manyisa, ANC councillor and branch secretary for Ward 6 and Umjindi Community Forum secretary, Siyabonga Malandule, both supported the proposal, which was submitted by Ndlovu.

DA councillor, Phillip Minnaar, tried in vain to raise his party’s concern about the amalgamation of the two municipalities.
For the time being, until the two municipalities are officially finally merged, it will be called Mbombela/Umjindi Local Municipality until a suitable name is proposed. But Barberton Times has since learnt that a preferred name by many once the municipalities merged will be called Umjimbo Local Municipality.

The wards in Umjindi as proposed by Ndlovu will stand as follows:
• Ward 41 will comprise the people who voted in the following areas during the previous elections; Chief Funwako Secondary School – (Registered population with IEC to vote – 1 760), Montrose Plantation Workshop (171), Alliance Church (756), Aerodrome Centre (1 092) and Sikhutsele Primary School (2 452). The total number of population registered with the IEC to vote is 6 231.

• Ward 42 will comprise Emjindini Community Hall and Mhola Primary School (there are 2 279 registered population to vote in these wards and 400 will be split and the ward will be left with 2 679), Ngwane Combined School (642), Cathyville Community Hall (357), and Barberton Town Hall (2 992). The total number of population registered with the IEC to vote is 6 670.

• Ward 43 will comprise Oosterbeeck Farm Highlands Recreation Hall (205), Barberton High School (1 154), Fairview Primary School (1 865), Dixie Farm School (351), Consort Primary School (638), Sheba Nazarene Church (985), Low’s Creek Open Space (1 065) and Shelangubo Community Hall (175). The total number of population registered with the IEC to vote is 6 438.

• Ward 44 will comprise KaMhola Secondary School (2 060), The Church of Jesus Christ (1 527), Mhola Primary School (1 427 previously registered and will be split with 400 and left with 1 027) and Bethlehem Church in Zion (1 815). The total number of population registered with the IEC to vote is 6 429.

• Ward 45 will comprise Mgababa Open Field (2 620), Amon Nkosi Primary School (787), Free Alliance Church (282), St John’s Mission (257), Glenthorpe Primary School (810), NGK Church (160), Uitval Farm Clinic (498), Nelshoogte Village Hall (269) and Ajury Farm Hall (444). The total number of population registered with the IEC to vote is 6 152.