The contentious 95/5 policy that has been implemented in Potchefstroom and more recently in Ventersdorp to recover municipal service arrears will be suspended in the Ventersdorp region of the JB Marks municipality starting from Monday ( 3 September).

This decision was made during a meeting that took place today (31 August) between the executive mayor Kgotso Khumalo and about 700 members of the community in Ventersdorp.

The community of Ventersdorp took to the streets in protest since Monday morning by barricading roads, burning tyres, closing down schools, clinics and the municipal building.
According to Khuduga Dibe from F4SD (Forum 4 Service Delivery), no one from the NW premier’s office came to receive the memorandum of demands at last Thursday’s protest march. In reaction, unhappy residents vowed to bring the town to a standstill until the premier comes with solutions to their problems.
Ventersdorp merged with Potchefstroom three years ago to form the JB Marks local municipality under the stewardship of the executive mayor, Kgotso Khumalo.
Dibe says some of their demands include the removal of Ventersdorp councillors as they have neglected their duties.
‘Secondly, the community is calling for the reversal of the merger because there are more service delivery challenges than before.
‘Thirdly, the municipality has failed to deliver on the N14 mixed housing development that was promised to the community before the 2016 local government elections. Lastly, we want the reversal of the 95/5 billing system,’ said Dibe.