The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa, has launched a series of public consultations aimed at facilitating the ward delimitation process in Mpumalanga.
Hlabisa officially launched the Municipal Demarcation Board’s (MDB) public consultation process for the 2025 Ward Delimitation.
The event, held in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, on Thursday, marked the beginning of engagements with communities nationwide regarding the adjustment of municipal ward boundaries, in preparation for the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE).
The ward delimitation process plays a crucial role in enhancing democracy by ensuring that municipal ward boundaries accurately reflect demographic changes, promote fair representation, and foster effective local governance.
Public participation is essential to empower communities to influence how they are represented in local government, ensuring that public policies and initiatives reflect the diverse needs, values, and perspectives of the communities they serve.
Delivering a keynote address, Hlabisa encouraged communities to actively participate in these discussions.
The Minister reflected on the impact of ward delimitation on the lives of communities, as it is also a transformative opportunity for communities.
Hlabisa believes that the timely conclusion of this process is also integral to the success of the next Local Government Elections.
The Minister called for all stakeholders to provide the Municipal Demarcation Board with maximum support to ensure the success of this process within the agreed timeframe.
According to the department, Section 154 of the Constitution stipulates that, if the electoral system includes ward representation, the delimitation of wards must be conducted by an independent authority appointed in terms of, and operating according to, procedures and criteria prescribed by national legislation.
The MDB is the independent authority tasked with defining municipal boundaries and overseeing community consultations with support from CoGTA and other relevant stakeholders.
“I urge us all to consider the impact that effective spatial planning and demarcation have on the lives of our citizens and the prosperity of our communities. This is important because while Municipal Wards are the smallest, they are critical units of local governance. They are the foundation upon which we build inclusive and effective systems for local governance,” Hlabisa said.
Hlabisa also stressed the significance of recognising that the delimitation of municipal wards is not merely a technical task, but “a transformative opportunity to strengthen democracy, promote inclusivity, and enhance service delivery.”
According to the Minister, the municipal wards serve as the fundamental building blocks of local government and spaces, where citizens directly engage with elected representatives and where community needs are identified and discussed.
“Wards reflect the diversity of our cities and towns, serving as microcosms of their respective communities. For these reasons, we should strive to ensure that ward delimitations foster improved social cohesion among our communities,” he added.
The Minister called on everyone, including the youth, people in traditional areas, and other community structures across the country, to become active participants in the process set to finalise the wards ahead of the LGE.
“The social cohesion will result from the connectedness, solidarity, and shared goal of ensuring democracy in action through the ward delimitation process. This will result in the community feeling empowered and included in deciding and finalising the wards.
“This will foster trust emanating from the engagements with communities through the public consultation process.”
The event focused on redefining municipal wards and the building blocks for inclusive and efficient local governance.
The gathering kick-started with public consultations for the nationwide ward delimitation process.
The public consultations will occur in all provinces from April to June 2025.
The department believes that the success of the process depends on the nationwide maximum participation of our communities.
By the end of October 2025, the MDB will hand over the wards to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), in preparation for the 2026 LGE.
The speakers at the event emphasised that the ward delimitation process is democracy in action as it will see all South Africans given an opportunity to have a say on how their wards will be configured.
The outcome of the ward delimitation process will be the municipal ward boundaries, which accurately reflect demographic changes and foster effective local governance. – SAnews.gov.za
