Mr LJ Mahlangu - Municipal Demarcation Board

CLUSTER 3
GIS AND IT SUPPORT
AIM
The GIS cluster broadly has the responsibility for
overseeing the spatial and information technology
(IT) needs of the Board and providing all mapping,
data, information services, research and analysis
in support of the Boards’ mandate.
More specifically, the clusters’ aims are the following:
• Providing analysis, information and mapping
requirements in support of the Board’s mandate
to determine and re-determine municipal
boundaries in accordance with relevant legal
provisions;
• Providing analysis, information and mapping
requirements in support of the Board’s mandate
to delimit each municipality that qualifies
to have wards, into wards;
• Providing advice, analysis, information and
mapping requirements to departments on
the alignment of functional/service delivery
boundaries with municipal boundaries;
• Within its areas of competence, provide advice,
information and analyses to stakeholders;
• Supporting the Manager of the Municipal Demarcation
Board to build an effective and efficient
administration to support the Board in
the performance of its functions.
CLUSTER COMPOSITION
Following recent organisational changes and initiatives
at the Board, the GIS and IT cluster was
renamed to GIS and Database Administration
cluster. Three GIS members of this cluster were
redeployed to other clusters on the 1 April 2012.
Mr Fazel Hoosen remained the Cluster Head with
two GIS Specialists and three IT members.
CLUSTER DEVELOPMENTS
13 MUNICIPAL DEMARCATION BOARD - Annual Report 2012
During the period under review, the following key
developments occurred in the Cluster:
Boundary re-determinations
The 2009/2010 ward delimitation process was followed
by successful local government elections
held on 18 May 2011. On 28 June 2011, the MDB
released circular 1/2011 which outlined in detail
the MDB programme and timeframes for the redetermination
of municipal boundaries.
MDB visited many of its immediate stakeholders:-
• Visits to all provincial MECs (all MECs visited
except Western Cape)
• Visits to National House and Provincial Houses
of Traditional Leaders (All provinces visited except
GT, NC & WC).
All visits were completed by some staff jointly with
Board members and the Chairperson of the Board.
The re-determination of municipal boundaries commenced
in June 2011. To date, the Board has fully
embarked on an informal consultation process. The
GIS Cluster jointly with Research and Implementation
Cluster analysed and mapped 558 cases which
were listed in Circular 1/2011 and were discussed
with stakeholders in 2011 at meetings arranged per
district and metropolitan area, and stakeholders were
invited to submit additional requests for boundary
changes. These cases are still under consideration,
and the MDB will inform you of its decisions before
the commencement of the legal process.
The closing date for additional submissions was extended
up to January 20, 2012. Municipalities and
stakeholders were expected to provide feedback
in the process by submitting forms C1, C2, and D
as per circular 2/2011. In response to the Circular
1/2011 invitation, 453 requests have been received
for the review of municipal boundaries. These
were also analysed and mapped jointly by the GIS
Cluster and Research and Implementation Cluster.
Municipalities will be visited in May/June 2012 to
consult on these 453 re-determinations.