Celani Sikhakhane
The community in the rural midlands in KZN are angry about the ward demarcation which has relocated them without proper consultation.
On Sunday, the community of Mbulwana area in Greytown threatened to boycott the local election registration processes after they were told that they no longer belong to ward 2 and even their candidate is no longer the one they have nominated.
Leaders were forced to come and address them about the changes.
Angry community member Phetheni Ngubane said they are concerned because the demarcation means that the development they were waiting for is no longer going to benefit them.
“There’s water development and road construction that we are waiting for and now we are not going to get it because we are no longer from the ward,” said Ngubane.
“Another issue is that we are not going to vote for our own candidate. We are now going to vote for a person that we have never even met.”
MEC for Arts and Culture, Hlengiwe Mavimbela and ANC UMzinyathi District caucus leader Lucky Moloi had to face the angry community while they were on their party’s registration campaign.
Moloi told the community that although processes were undertaken, some of the consultations were hindered by Covid-19 regulations.
“The meetings could only be attended by 50 people in order to observe regulations but we are going to take this matter to the relevant structures,” said Moloi.
KZN Independent Electoral Commission Spokesperson, Thabani Ngwira said all processes were done and they managed to meet everyone who was affected.
“We did the consultation process from 25 to 30 June. We visited affected communities in their homes to make sure that everyone was aware of the process,” Ngwira said.
MEC Mavimbela told the angry community that their services will not be affected because they are not rendered on a ward system, they are delivered under the traditional tribal authority system which is under the Inkosi of that particular area.
