Residents confused over ward boundaries

RESIDENTS of eThembeni informal settlement in Mdantsane say there is confusion concerning which ward they fall under.

The residents said they had been told the settlement near NU2 was not part of either Ward 11 or 42 – the two wards it straddles.

ANC Ward 11 councillor Mashwabada Gcilishe said eThembeni fell under Ward 42, led by ANC councillor Senduka Maphuko.

“I can’t impose myself as a councillor on an area that is not demarcated to me but I always try and assist them whenever they come knocking on my office instead of rejecting them.”

However, Maphuko maintained that eThembeni fell under Ward 11.

“Those people are the responsibility of Gcilishe. Yes some of them voted at a voting station that is situated in my ward but a map emerged later showing that they actually fall under Ward 11.”

Maphuko claimed that eThembeni had always been part of Ward 11 prior the August elections.

Some residents from eThembeni confirmed to the Daily Dispatch they had voted at the eBhotwe and Ulwazi voting stations, both in Ward 42.

Ward 11 had five voting stations at Nzaliseko, BCM’s Rand Office, Langelitsha, Equleni and Silvertown Field.

The Independent Electoral Commission confirmed that eThembeni informal settlement residents were registered under Ward 42.

IEC spokeswoman Pearl Ngoza said the IEC was not responsible for ward demarcation matters.

Municipal Demarcation Board spokeswoman Bulelwa Mbali Khoele had not responded to questions sent by the Dispatch at the time of writing yesterday.

BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi also had not responded to e-mailed questions.