Johannesburg demarcation dispute to be settled: Meyer

PRETORIA July 17 Sapa

Johannesburg's local government election demarcation dispute
could be resolved before the end of the week, Provincial Affairs
and Constitutional Development Minister Roelf Meyer said in
Pretoria on Monday.

"People from Gauteng who recently consulted with the special
electoral court are confident that Johannesburg will meet the
November 1 (election) deadline," he told reporters at an
international constitutional conference.

November 1 was still the target date for the local government
elections.

If demarcation problems in other areas could not be settled,
Meyer said the special electoral court would probably be the only
solution.

He emphasised that a decision on these issues was not up to
central government. The proclamations prescribing local government
election procedures were in the hands of provincial MECs.

Meyer and his deputy Valli Moosa would meet provincial MECs on
July 25 to evaluate the progress made in the election preparations.

"We have to draw up a balance sheet of the pro's and cons and
produce recommendations on which options will have the least
possible negative effect," Meyer said.

The recommendations would be submitted to Cabinet for
discussion on July 26.

Those arguing for postponement of the election date were not
taking all concerns into account, Meyer said.

Local government was in a state of flux with "the buck being
passed when it comes to decision-making".

"People are also reluctant to take decisions on local
government finance, especially if they know that such decisions
will only be temporary," Meyer said.