Matatiele looking for a 'home'
2005-09-27 16:51
Durban - The deadline for written submissions on whether the Matatiele/Maluti area should be part of the Eastern Cape or KwaZulu-Natal expired on Monday.
On Tuesday, KwaZulu-Natal ministry of local government spokesperson Lennox Mabaso said: "The next step is for the demarcation board to conduct public hearings and these will start shortly."
The national government recently proposed that Maluti be incorporated into the Matatiele municipality and Matatiele into the Eastern Cape.
However, most residents wanted to be part of KwaZulu-Natal because it had better infrastructure and was more organised, said Mandla Galo of the Matatiele/Maluti Mass Organising Committee.
Last week, the committee said it had collected 3 000 statements from residents, businesses and groups opposed to the area's possible inclusion into the Eastern Cape.
Mabaso said KwaZulu-Natal MEC for local government Mike Mabuyakhulu already had tabled a report on the matter in the legislature.
"Both the KZN and Eastern Cape legislatures must still pass a resolution on whether they want the area to be incorporated into their provinces," he said.
- SAPA