D-Day for objections to split Barberton away from City of Mbombela looms

In 2016, the town’s residents fought tooth and nail against an amalgamation of the erstwhile Umjindi Local Municipality ‘to be wed’ with the City of Mbombela (CoM).

Now, barely eight years later, the same scenario is playing off between Barberton and Mbombela, but this time to ensure the long-awaited ‘divorce’ will become a reality.

The final bell for the deadline of objections to the plans by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) to split the two towns will ring on Friday May 5.

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Eight years ago, the townspeople felt the decision to amalgamate the two municipalities was a political-driven agenda disguised as better service delivery for the town. They claim that in the short-lived marriage, very little was gained by the CoM, while Barberton lost everything.

CoM’s biggest gains, they allege, were the rise in status to a grade 6 municipality (which means bigger salaries and councillor allowances) and a fairly fat bank account that they inherited from Barberton/Umjindini.

The town’s residents claimed they basically gained nothing, as service delivery such as water and electricity failed miserably, roads deteriorated and the once booming income from tourism was made to be almost null and void.

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Although the MDB’s official stance is to keep it a secret from whom or where the wish came to split these two towns, it is an open secret that the ANC is behind the latest move.

According to informed sources close to the party’s top management, it was realised shortly after the amalgamation that a calculation error had led to the party losing grip on power within due to the loss of some constituencies.

They claim that in an effort to regain strength, the party is now creating a new political ‘monster’ to deal with.

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Currently there are two camps within the party structures in the town. Although both are highly in favour of the planned split, a new race is already on the go to see which comrades will fill which positions.

One group had already drawn up a list of who the new mayor, speaker, whip and members of the MMC would be.

Bosman Grobler, the provincial DA’s leader, said the DA is in principle in favour of such a split. “The biggest concern is that the previous amalgamation proposals were pushed through on a purely political-driven agenda with no regard for the best interest of the community or viability of the amalgamation.

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“If this is again a political-driven agenda, this will not work. There needs to be a serious political will, with a community buy-in, a firm and sustainable financial commitment, and enough funds for a proper setup, implementation and infrastructure development cost.”

A number of CoM staff who will be affected by the amalgamation, said their biggest concern is the financial impact it will have on them.

“Currently we earn salaries of a grade 6 municipality. If the split goes through, the town will be a grade 3 or at best a grade 4 council. How will they compensate us for the lower salaries?” the sources, who asked to remain anonymous, wanted to know.

DA Cllr Phillip Minnaar from Barberton predicts the remunerations of councillors might even drop by as much as 70% of their current earnings if they move to a lower grade municipality.

If the decision to split the two municipalities is taken, however, it will only be implemented in 2026.