MEETING TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF KWANDEBELE/MOUTSE AND MORETELE II

ANC NEC members Valli Moosa, Tokyo Sexwale and Matthew Phosa led their respective delegations to a meeting in Johannesburg, today 7 Aug, to discuss the future of Kwandebele, Moutse and Moretele II.

The meeting was attended by amongst others, Provincial leaders of the ANC in Gauteng and the Eastern Transvaal and the leadership of the tripartite alliance and Sanco.

The meeting was unanimous in its view that the citizens of the affected areas have been disadvantaged in terms of the delivery of essential services as a result of the manner in which the provincial boundary is demarcated in the Interim Constitution.

The meeting was informed that residents of the affected areas are not being admitted as patients at Gauteng health facilities. It was also noted that the majority of workers from the former Kwandebele areas commute daily to different areas in Gauteng.

In this regard, the meeting resolved:

• that it would be in the best interests of the affected areas, if the administration of certain essential services, were to be provided for, by the Gauteng Provincial Government.
• the meeting decided to request of the two provincial governments to take immediate steps towards effecting the transfer of the administration of these key services to the Gauteng Provincial Government. Such services, could be provided for by the Gauteng Provincial Government on an agency basis.
• the meeting noted that a change in the provincial boundary would require the support of other parties in the national parliament in order to obtain the requisite two-thirds majority for purposes of a constitutional amendment. It further noted that the other parties are less than enthusiastic to lend their support as the ANC received the vote of 94% of the electorate in the affected area.
• the approach determined at this meeting would now be discussed with representative of ANC branches in the affected area at a date still to be determined, for approval and further refinement.

It was the view of the meeting that if the necessary administrative steps are taken the real concerns of the people in the area would have been addressed.

Issued by the Department of Information and Publicity
P.O. Box 61884
Marshalltown
2107
7 August 1995.