One of Emfuleni’s wealthiest areas will no longer be incorporated into the neighbouring Midvaal Municipality following extensive and heated objections from the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) to the gazetted decision last month.

The Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) did not give any reasons for its decisions, saying only that the decisions affecting ELM had been withdrawn following submissions in the 30-day objection period allowed.

ELM is already under severe pressure from both Eskom and Rand Water to pay outstanding debt of about R8 billion and last week Rand Water said it was considering reducing water flow to ELM by up to 20%.

Both Eskom and Rand Water are already engaged in infrastructure and revenue management  efforts to resolve the debt crisis with ELM- Eskom through an agency agreement and Rand Water by establishing a new partnership on municipal Water and Sanitation infrastructure with ELM.

The Municipal Demarcation Board reversed its decision this week following severe objections from National Government and the Sedibeng District Municipality which oversees ELM.

According to ELM, moving Three Rivers to Midvaal would also have upset the political power balance in Emfuleni, as the Ward is a Democratic Alliance (DA) stronghold.

Several DA leaders and other opposition party members said they were also opposed to the move and are pleased that Three Rivers will remain part of ELM.

• According to statistics released by the MDB this week, nine re-demarcations including Three Rivers were withdrawn countrywide whilst 59 were upheld.