The 15 municipalities in Gauteng will gradually be whittled down to just seven by 2016. The first to go will be the Metsweding district council, the Kungwini local municipality and the Nokeng Tsa Taemane local municipality.
All three will be incorporated into the City of Tshwane and will lost their mayors, councillors and municipal managers after the local elections on 18 May. However, this will happen only if the ANC gets the majority vote in each municipality, which is expected to occur.
The Gauteng MEC for local government and housing, Humphrey Mmemezi said that he is confident that the plan will go ahead particularly as the legal processes for these mergers are already at an advanced stage and were waiting for final government approval.
The second phase in reducing the number of municipalities will take place on the West Rand where Mogale City municipality in Krugersdorp, the Merafong City municipality in Carletonville, the Randfontein municipality and the Westonaria local municipality will merge and a single mayor will be appointed.
The changes will not affect the City of Joburg or the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council.
Mmemezi also confirmed yesterday that a number of dilapidated towns in Gauteng, including Vereeniging, Germiston and Krugersdorp will soon be given a complete make-over by the local government departments.
He said that there is a plan within Gauteng to revitalise the towns and city so that they will be more attractive to business and will encourage businesses and individuals from the private sector to invest in these cities and towns.
Mmemezi says that the province plans to inject substantial amounts of money into cleaning up the central city areas of most of the dilapidate towns in the province and will invite the private sector to join them in investing in the future of the province.
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