Mpumalanga Premier Thabang Makwetla met Moutse residents on Thursday in an attempt to address their concerns over demarcation into Limpopo.
Mpumalanga government spokesperson Lebona Mosia said Makwetla’s visit to the town followed protests and violence over the integration of the town into the Limpopo province.
”The citizens are against the idea of being integrated into Limpopo, so the premier was there today to listen to them and to explain that a decision on the matter has not yet been taken,” said Mosia.
”The premier explained that the Minister of Provincial and Local Government, Sydney Mufamadi, has only published what the demarcation board proposed to him. No decision has yet been taken.”
The premier also urged the residents to ensure that public comments on the matter should be handed in on Friday — the last day for public comments, said Mosia.
”After that, the process will go to Parliament, and Parliament’s portfolio committee will then take those comments into consideration. There will then be public hearings.”
Mosia said the premier also stressed that residents should not turn to violence to voice their concerns.
”The premier said people have a democratic right to express what they want to, but they have no right to be violent.”
On Thursday morning, motorists were warned to be alert when using the R25 linking Bronkhorstspruit and Groblersdal as well as the area around the Loskop Dam.
About 30 people were arrested for malicious damage to property and public violence during the protest, which included stone throwing and burning barricades near the town of Dennilton.
The area in contention is a saddle of land in the north-western pocket of Mpumalanga known as the Sekhukhune cross-boundary district municipality.
According to the South African government’s website, the Mpumalanga portions of the municipality are to be incorporated into Limpopo province, so that the boundary of the province would be the existing southern boundary of the district.
According to a Department of Provincial and Local Government study, cross-boundary municipalities were among those found to be underperforming because their administration was ”confusing, duplicative and costly” and affected development plans. — Sapa