West Rand municipal merger ‘makes no sense, won’t solve problems’
THE proposed merger of West Rand local municipalities into a metro “doesn’t make sense” and “cannot be a panacea for both poor management and leadership”.
This is the view of Gauteng Premier David Makhura, who this week contradicted Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Pravin Gordhan who wants to merge the Mogale, Randfontein, Westonaria and Merafong municipalities in a single metropolitan municipality.
Gordhan’s proposal of the merger ahead of next year’s local government elections was ironically supported by Gauteng Co-operative Governance MEC, Jacob Mamabolo.
But Makhura sided with the opposition in the Gauteng Legislature this week stating: “We agree on the issue of merger (plans) of municipalities where it doesn’t make sense – like in the West Rand”.
“For example, you cannot merge a dysfunctional municipality with (another) dysfunctional municipality and expect a functional municipality,” he said. “You cannot merge Randfontein with Westonaria and expect a functional outcome out of this. It is just a fact.”
Makhura said evidence showed that metropolitan municipalities with a critical, viable economic base function better for a Gauteng city region.
“We are not rushing anywhere for a metro system where it’s not viable,” he added.
“We don’t merge municipalities for philosophical or ideological reasons.”
Makhura’s comments on the plan to merge the West Rand municipalities come at the time when the Municipal Demarcation Board is considering (now closed) proposals and public comments.
Last month, Gordhan asked the board to consider the merger in line with his department’s “back-to-basics” strategy to tur n around ailing municipalities in two years, driven mainly in the “interest of financial viability”.
But Nhlakanipho Nkontwana, head of the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in Gauteng, told the Saturday Star that the Randfontein and Westonaria merger decision was taken “a long time ago”.
He said the back-to-basics strategy showed the two municipalities were at risk of gravitating to dysfunctional.
“As the government we have to make sure we have viable, strong and capable local government in those areas.
“The experience has taught us that the metros have capacity to deliver,” he said.
“If you look at (West Rand) municipalities, they are experiencing a decline in their mining economy.
“People are unemployed because they have been retrenched, and the majority of indigents are found in these places. And of course, for the municipality to exist, it has to increase its tax base.”
According to Nkontwana Randfontein revenue collection was at 88%, Westonaria 83.3%, Mogale City is 96% and Merafong 84%.
Makhura meanwhile also said his provincial cabinet had taken a view of “a historical problem that our provincial department owed municipalities R891 million for services”.
He added that this was a “disastrous thing that we need to correct”.
“We took a decision last week that we are now going to ring-fence allocation for services to pay all the money that is owed for services,” he said.
“They are killing another sphere of government, and we can’t accept that.
“There is no excuse.”