UNDERSTANDING THE WARD DELIMITATION PROCESS MDB COMMUNICATIONS • Barileng@demarcation.org.za • Dimakatso@demarcation.org.za
PRESENTATION LAYOUT 1. Mandate of the MDB 2. Introduction 3. Background 4. Ward delimitation process 5. Status of ward delimitation process 6. Trends in number of wards: 2000-2021 7. Challenges 8. Principles guiding ward configuration 9. Ward delimitation criteria and application of the norm 10.Revised ward delimitation plan 11.Conclusion
MANDATE & LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
INTRODUCTION 1. Every five years , the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) delimits wards in metropolitan and local municipalities for electoral purposes . 2. The process must be concluded ideally not less than 10 months before the local government elections . 3. The wards have to be delimited for the following reasons: a. Change in number of Councillors within a municipality; and b. Change in number of registered voters within a municipality.
BACKGROUND 1. Before commencing with ward delimitation process, the MDB completed municipal outer boundary re-determination process in 2018 . Therefore, the MDB will not be conducting municipal boundary re-determinations until after the 2021 local government elections. 2. The MDB, after consultation with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), delimits wards in each local and metropolitan municipality by following critical pre-requisites in this order: a. The IEC provides the municipal segment of the national common voters’ roll; b. Minister of CoGTA determines the formulae for determining the number of councillors for different categories of municipalities; c. The MECs responsible for local government use the formulae to determine and publish the number of councillors 50% of the published number of councillors are ward councillors, and Wards are equal to the number of ward councillors; d. Then the MDB , guided by the criteria provided in the Municipal Structures Act, facilitates the ward delimitation process.
WARD DELIMITATION PROCESS
WARD DELIMITATION PROCESS cont.. 1. The key legal requirements and milestones for the ward delimitation process are summarised as follows:
STATUS FOR THE CURRENT WARD DELIMITATION PROCESS 1. The IEC has published the certified voters roll in March 2019. 2. The Minister has published the formula for determining the number of Cllrs for different categories of municipalities on the 5 th July 2019. The MEC’s responsible for local government in each province have all published the number 3. of councillors per municipality. 4. MDB calculated the norms for each municipality together with their variances, i.e. 15% below the norm (minimum) and 15% above the norm (maximum) allowable number of voters in each municipal ward. 5. The MDB conducted technical consultations with municipal officials in August and September 2019 to prepare draft wards. 6. Draft wards (no legal status) were prepared and distributed to all municipalities and are also available on the MDB website (www.demarcation.org.za) or on request at 012 342 2481. 7. Public consultations meetings began February and were to be completed by 30 April 2020. 8. The Covid-19 disrupted the public engagement process when the Board had only consulted with 4 provinces.
TRENDS IN NUMBER OF WARDS: 2000- 2021
TRENDS IN NUMBER OF WARDS 2000- 2021 CONT… NUMBER OF WARDS PER PROVINCE 2000 2006 2011 2016 2021 901 870 828 771 748 715 710 705 636 601 568 566 543 529 529 513 508 446 437 423 407 406 401 402 403 402 400 400 387 383 365 365 348 338 330 319 317 309 300 291 232 204 194 174 162 E AST E RN C AP E FRE E ST AT E GAUT E NG KW AZULU - NAT AL LIMP OP O MP UMALANGA NORT H W E ST NORT H E RN C AP E W E ST E RN C AP E
NORMS, MINIMUM & MAXIMUM EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE
NORMS, MINIMUM & MAXIMUM Cont… FREE STATE PROVINCE GAUTENG PROVINCE
NORMS, MINIMUM & MAXIMUM Cont … KWAZULU NATAL PROVINCE
NORMS, MINIMUM & MAXIMUM Cont … LIMPOPO PROVINCE
NORMS, MINIMUM & MAXIMUM Cont … NORTH WEST PROVINCE
NORMS, MINIMUM & MAXIMUM Cont … NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE
NORMS, MINIMUM & MAXIMUM Cont … MPUMALANGA PROVINCE
NORMS, MINIMUM & MAXIMUM Cont … WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE
WARD DELIMITATION CRITERIA 1. The number of registered voters in each ward, may not vary by more than fifteen per cent from the norm . 2. The need to avoid as far as possible the fragmentation of communities . 3. The object is to enhance participatory democracy in local government. 4. The availability and location of a suitable place or places for voting , taking into consideration the following: a. Communication and accessibility b. Density of population c. Topography and physical characteristics, d. Number of voters that are entitled to vote within the required time-frame. 5. The creation of identifiable ward boundaries .
PRINCIPLES GUIDING WARD CONFIGURATION 1. Use voting districts as building blocks for the creation of wards. 2. These voting districts must create a contiguous ward. 3. The MDB tries as far as possible not to split voting districts. 4. Wards boundaries created should be identifiable (geographical identifiable features i.e. roads, rivers, mountains, valleys, etc.).
HOW DO WE GO ABOUT CONFIGURING WARDS? THE NORM AND ITS APPLICATION 1. Norm (Average) is equal to number of registered voters in the municipality divide by number of wards in the municipality. Example: If a municipality has 20 000 registered voters and 20 wards: Norm = 20 000/20 = 1000 15% below norm = 850 15% above norm = 1150 2. Thus, a municipal ward may have any number of registered voters between 850 and 1150.
HOW TO CREATE A WARD E.g. Using voting districts, registered voters and municipal norm (1000) VOTING REGISTERED NORM/ DISTRICT VOTERS VARIANCES 1 170 GRACELAND LEARNING CENTER 2 230 110 76320479 3 110 250 76320514 MAKGOFE HIGH SCHOOL 4 190 5 250 1150 (15% 6 155 190 76320503 Above Norm) MOLAUTSI SECONDARY SCHOOL 1000 TOTAL 1105 (Municipal Norm) ERNEST MATLOU PRIMARY SCHOOL SPOKOPARK SETHOA CRECHE 850 (15% 230 76320491 Below Norm) 155 76321379 The ward is compliant with 1105 registered voters, i.e. between 850 and 1150 KWENA OFENTSE LEARNING AND CARE CENTRE 170 76321380 23
CHALLENGES 1. Some settlements and/or traditional council areas are large and thus not always possible to delimit them into a single ward. Due to the large size of some settlements and/or traditional council areas it is not always possible to delimit them into a single ward. 2. The sizes of wards vary in spatial size and extent due to the density of voters, areas with low voter density have bigger wards and vice versa. 3. Lack of understanding of the legislative provisions e.g. some people (including key stakeholders) request for more councillors or more wards from MDB. 4. Uncoordinated and contradictory submissions from stakeholders/communities.
CHALLENGES cont….. The Amahlubi Traditional Area (Green area) is in more than one ward in the Senqu Local Municipality
CHALLENGES cont… Ward 16 of Senqu Local Municipality is 20 Square Km Ward 13 of Senqu Local Municipality is 3200 Square Km
REVISED WARD DELIMITATION PROGRAMME: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE ERA OF COVID 19 1. The MDB, after consultation with the Independent Electoral Commission, reviewed the ward delimitation programme to try allow more time to complete all outstanding public consultations. 2. In view of the uncertainty of the circumstances regarding the spread of the Corona virus in the country, the MDB divided the programme into two groups i.e. Batch 1 and Batch 2 (See circular 4 of 2020).
REVISED WARD DELIMITATION PROGRAMME: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE ERA OF COVID 19 Cont... PROVINCE BATCH 1 BATCH 2 Eastern Cape All municipalities except Senqu, Mnquma,Walter those in the next column Sisulu Free State N/A All Gauteng Ekurhuleni All municipalities except Ekurhuleni KwaZulu Natal All municipalities except Edumbe, Mandeni, those in the next column Ndwedwe, Maphumulo, KwaDukuza, Msunduzi, Mkhambathini Limpopo N/A All municipalities Mpumalanga All N/A North West N/A All municipalities Northern Cape All municipalities except Knysna those in the next column
REVISED WARD DELIMITATION PROGRAMME: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE ERA OF COVID 19 Cont...
REVISED WARD DELIMITATION PROGRAMME: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE ERA OF COVID 19 Cont... REVISED WARD DELIMITATION PROGRAMME:BATCH 2
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