JB Marks demerger battle nears decision
A decisive moment is approaching in the nearly decade-long battle to reverse the merger of Tlokwe and Ventersdorp. With the Municipal Demarcation Board set to make a final ruling in August, residents now have the chance to sign petitions and make their voices heard before the deadline.
A struggle that has been going on for the better part of a decade is coming to a head next month, as the Municipal
Demarcation Board (MDB) will make a final determination on the various petitions in favour of the demerger of the JB Marks
Municipality.
This process by the MDB will conclude during the course of August. The DA (as many other stakeholders) petitioned the MDB through countless efforts by Hans-Jurie Moolman to reconsider the decision by the MDB prior to the Local government Elections in 2016 that brought about the merger of the then Tlokwe and Ventersdorp Municipalities. Communities in both Potchefstroom (Tlokwe) and Ventersdorp have been vocal in their calls for the merger to be reversed, citing countless challenges including the current financial position of the municipality as well as poor service delivery.
Over the next two weeks, petition letters can be obtained, completed, signed and returned for collating and then submitting
them. These petitions will be handed over to the MDB during the second week of August.
Letters can be collected, completed and returned at:
1. DA-information tables (Please refer to
the schedule of dates, times and venues).
2. A dedicated weblink where residents
can select the format of their choice
according to where they reside, language
and political affiliation or a-political https://
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ibIusFNiyV
AnpjqEz7gL9O0tL-jgJogg?usp=sharing
3. WhatsApp groups AND then submitting
these via a dedicated e-mail address
DemergeNOW@gmail.com between today
and August 3.
Information tables will be set up between July 23 and August 2 to sign the petition letters.
Schedule for information tables:
· Wedneday, July 23
7:30 to 9:00 Baillie Park Spar
· Thursday, July 24
6:00 to 17:30 Pick & Pay van der Hoffpark
· Friday, July 25
7:00 to 8:00 Tuscany Ridge Entrance
8:30 to 10:00 Huis Anna Viljoen
· Saturday, July 26
9:30 to 12:00
· Engen Garage Albert Luthuli Street
· OK Grocer Emslies Garage
· Cachet Park
· Spar Vyfhoek
· Monday, July 28
16:00 to 17:30 Waterberry Spur
· Tuesday, July 29
15:30 to 16:45 Die Wilge Hoërskool
Rocherstr
· Wedneday, July 30
7:30 to 8:30 Junction Mall
· Thursday, July 31
15:00 to 16:30 NTT near ALS (N12)
· Friday, August 1
7:00 to 8:00 De Land
8:30 to 9:30 Bailliepark Spar
·Sat 2 Aug 2025
9h00 to 11h00 P&Pay Van Der Hoffpark
