MBOMBELA – People are upbeat due to the recent announcement by the amalgamation board that Mbombela and Umjindi will be combined into a new Category B municipality before next year’s local government elections – thus Mbombela will be transformed into a metropolitan
municipality.
It has also been announced that the board decided to put on hold the amalgamation of Pixley ka Seme into Msukaligwa, Dipaleserng into Lekwa, eMakhazeni into Steve Tshwete and Victor Khanye into eMalahleni. The board decided to conduct detailed investigations into reconfiguring these municipalities after next year’s local government elections.
Speaking to the regional secretary of the ANC Ehlanzeni, Cllr Phazamisa Mathe revealed that the ANC was positive by the recent announcement which had been met with much resistance by groupings which included the DA and the EFF.
“We welcome the latest decision by the board and that this gives us the leverage to
reconstruct the political and administrative set-up in both municipalities. Nobody will lose their jobs, instead, this move will create more jobs and enhance service delivery, which is very important to us as the ANC.
“Pundits will eat humble pie as a result of this latest decision. Once again, as a people’s
movement, our endeavours are not about egos, but are people-based. People need to
look into the positive side of things and must not be misled by those opposing processes
of positive change,” said Mathe.
Speaking to an employee from Umjindi Municipality, further revealed that besides politicians’ upbeatness, the employees are more upbeat as he said: “We can’t wait to
be in the new structure as this means an upgrading of our salaries into better scales that match the new metro status. We, the employees of Umjindi Local Municipality,
have a more reason to celebrate,” he ended.
