Khutsong residents to get what they want
10 November 2008, 14:44
Khutsong residents will be reintegrated into the Gauteng province if they want to, Provincial and Local Government Minister Sicelo Shiceka said on Monday.
"If the majority of people of Merafong in general (and) Khutsong in particular want to come to Gauteng that is going to happen," Shiceka told journalists in Pretoria.
He was speaking following the countrywide Independent Electoral Commission voter registration weekend.
Shiceka said that he had had a meeting with Independent Electoral Commission chairperson Brigalia Bam to discuss "voter registration in general in the country."
The meeting focused on cross-boundary areas namely Khutsong, Matatiele and Moutse, which now fall respectively in the North West, Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces.
"We're saying as the ministry we are going to be involved in a process that is going to engage the communities... we want to find lasting solutions in the issues of boundaries to ensure that the people are settled where they want to be.
"We believe that there should be no person who stays where they don't want to stay," he said.
Bam said that the IEC was pleased that in spite of the problems in these areas, voter registration went ahead though there were no statistics available as yet as to how many people registered to vote.
"We were able to register people over the weekend. Though their problems have not been resolved over demarcation they were willing to register and willing to participate in the coming elections," she said.
She said she was "very delighted" that the minister had taken the decision that government would interact with these communities.
"We do not want as the IEC to exclude any South African citizen from participating in elections. Elections are a very important national event and we want to make sure that people take advantage of it," she said.
She said that the minister and government's decision to engage communities could help curb the "temptation" of voters from staying away from the polls.
On how reintegration would be achieved, Shiceka said there would be a process of engagement between the ministry and the executive.
He said a memo would then be needed to be taken to cabinet to enable government to take a decision on the matter.
He added that two bills were needed which involved the amendment of the constitution, and the department had to come up a law that amended the constitution.
He could not say whether the bills would be passed before the elections, saying "that is what we want if at all possible before the elections but that is more dependent on parliament." - Sapa
"If the majority of people of Merafong in general (and) Khutsong in particular want to come to Gauteng that is going to happen," Shiceka told journalists in Pretoria.
He was speaking following the countrywide Independent Electoral Commission voter registration weekend.
Shiceka said that he had had a meeting with Independent Electoral Commission chairperson Brigalia Bam to discuss "voter registration in general in the country."
The meeting focused on cross-boundary areas namely Khutsong, Matatiele and Moutse, which now fall respectively in the North West, Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces.
"We're saying as the ministry we are going to be involved in a process that is going to engage the communities... we want to find lasting solutions in the issues of boundaries to ensure that the people are settled where they want to be.
"We believe that there should be no person who stays where they don't want to stay," he said.
Bam said that the IEC was pleased that in spite of the problems in these areas, voter registration went ahead though there were no statistics available as yet as to how many people registered to vote.
"We were able to register people over the weekend. Though their problems have not been resolved over demarcation they were willing to register and willing to participate in the coming elections," she said.
She said she was "very delighted" that the minister had taken the decision that government would interact with these communities.
"We do not want as the IEC to exclude any South African citizen from participating in elections. Elections are a very important national event and we want to make sure that people take advantage of it," she said.
She said that the minister and government's decision to engage communities could help curb the "temptation" of voters from staying away from the polls.
On how reintegration would be achieved, Shiceka said there would be a process of engagement between the ministry and the executive.
He said a memo would then be needed to be taken to cabinet to enable government to take a decision on the matter.
He added that two bills were needed which involved the amendment of the constitution, and the department had to come up a law that amended the constitution.
He could not say whether the bills would be passed before the elections, saying "that is what we want if at all possible before the elections but that is more dependent on parliament." - Sapa
Pretoria
