Mr LJ Mahlangu - Municipal Demarcation Board

MDB embarked on a programme of Municipal visits
and to consult with the affected stakeholders in
the third and last quarter of 2011/12 financial year.
The Board has further enhanced the participation
of stakeholder involvement by issuing Circular
2/2012 wherein a further round of visits to Municipalities
was undertaken. The Board also simplified
the redetermination process by the differentiation
and articulation of types of boundary redeterminations.
This outer boundary process happens on
the back of very successful local government elections
that took place on May, 2012.
The last financial year also saw the finalisation of
the revised capacity assessment model, which will
be released shortly. The revised model took longer
than expected due to challenges some municipalities
experienced in engaging with the new on-line
questionnaire, an instrument of the model. It is my
sincere belief that the benefits of the new capacity
assessment Report will be profound, and will well
justify the costs and delay. The 2011/12 financial
year, also marked the finalisation of the new organisational
design, which was part of an organisational
development exercise. The new structure
will provide a sound platform with much more
strengthened managerial leadership, and capabilities
in the Board. It will also improve staff morale
and incentives for superior performance.
The sustainability, stability and viability of municipalities
are key considerations that inform the work
and the determinations of the MDB. Similarly, at
the ward level the Board will endeavour to ensure
stable wards with minimal changes in their configurations
to further enhance the social cohesion
and social capital that has been generated at that
level while further deepening local democracy.
The maintenance of stability and consistency in
the municipal territorial boundaries and warding
arrangements will be further enhanced in view of
the very important developments in the Board’s
strategic and policy environment, some of which
impact directly in the work of the Board. Two of
such developments, at the policy level is the opening
up of the discussion on the Two-Tier system
of local government; as well as the proposal for a
iv MUNICIPAL DEMARCATION BOARD - Annual Report 2012
single election for all spheres and levels of government.
The MDB will monitor and where possible
engage actively in the policy dialogue, and provide
advice where necessary. Perhaps the most important
development which is of strategic significance
to the Board is the publication of the National Planning
Commission’s Development Plan and the
completion of the National Census, by Statistics
SA. The Planning Commission has developed a
comprehensive vision and strategic plan for the
country, which also includes spatial vision, and a
requirement for a capable state. For the first time
in the history of the country we have a vision and
long term plan that can serve as a guide and reference
point for all the development endeavours in
the country, and as such, it should serve as an anchor
to the Board’s decisions and determinations.
Similarly the completion of national census will
enhance the credibility to the demographics and
other statistics particularly at the local level and
even at much more granular level.
The 2011/12 financial year marks the mid-term in
the tenure of the current Board, having been appointed
in 2 current terms ending in 2014. As we
embarked on the second half of our tenure I wish
to express my gratitude to all our stakeholders and
principals, including the Portfolio Committee of
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs,
the Minister and Acting Minister responsible for
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs
during the year under review, for their guidance
and support, fellow Board members and staff for
their commitment to the course of spatial transformation.
I thank you!
Mr Landiwe J Mahlangu
Chairperson