Some residents of the JB Marks Local Municipality in the North West Province say the amalgamation of the former Ventersdorp and Tlokwe municipalities was political.
The residents allege that the decision taken before the 2016 local government elections to form JB Marks was the African National Congress’s (ANC) strategy to hang on to the Potchefstroom-based Tlokwe municipality.
This comes as the Municipal Demarcation Board is processing more than 200 submissions for a possible redetermination of the municipal boundaries.
Residents of the JB Marks Municipality unhappy with amalgamations
One resident says, “It was clear when we were to be merged [that] there was a difference of three seats, and the votes in Tlokwe were deteriorating. So in my view, it was just a political compensation.”
Another resident says, “The merger hasn’t worked at all. It’s been a numbers game so they can get the numbers for the votes, for in Ventersdorp there’s no services.”
“”This thing of merge, it comes from politicians. If politicians went to the community and explained to the elders and other communities what the merger meant, the merge wouldn’t have happened,” adds a third resident.
The video below reports on the Treasury withholding R60 million from JB Marks Municipality:
