Johannesburg to get four sub-structures

JOHANNESBURG August 4 Sapa

By Janine Eilers

The Electoral Court decided on Friday to adopt the African
National Congress' four sub-structure model for Greater
Johannesburg's inner boundaries.

The decision, which is final, means local government elections
can take place in the city on November 1 as scheduled.

The court convened urgently on Thursday to rule on the
demarcation dispute between various political parties.

Appeal Court Judge John Smallberger said the model - favoured
by Gauteng premier Tokyo Sexwale and the ANC - was chosen because
it seemed better balancructure
models proposed by the National and Democratic parties among
others.

Smallberger said the chosen model was not perfect because it's
boundaries, combining the northern and southern areas, seemed
contrived.

The court - with himself, judges John Didcott, Piet van der
Walt and Ismael Mohammed and advocate Jan Heunis presiding - had
faced a problem in reaching a decision because the parties had
failed to present sufficient evidence supporting their proposals,
Smallberger said.
tructure model will link the
Johannesburg central business district with parts of Soweto.

The NP and the Provincial Committee - a watchdog organisation
set up by the Johannesburg Transitional Metropolitan Council -
advocated a three sub-structure model which would merge Randburg
and Sandton, not divide Soweto and link the CBD with the less
affluent southern region.

The DP, certain business groups and other minor parties
supucture transitional model. This
model's main feature was to keep the CBD as a separate
sub-structure in which the other six would share decision-making
responsibilities, including allocation of funds generated by the
business district.

Smallberger said the seven sub-structure model isolated and
neglected less affluent areas. Isolating the CBD as a region on its
own was not viable because the number of voters living there was
disproportionate to the wealth generated by the CBD.

Only 2,8 percent of Johannesburg's total voter population lives
in the CBD, which generates 85 percent of the city's wealth.

Although the three sub-structure model kept existing
infrastructures in place, Smallberger said it was rejected because
it combined the largTransitonal Executive Council chairman Collin Matjila, and ANC
member, said he was happy with the court's decision.

DP spokesman Ian Davidson said it was regrettable that the four 
sub-structures had been chosen because it threatened to break
up the city. "Big sub-structures could provide a huge impetus for
each to go its own way. It creates tension."

Arguing for Sexwale on Thursday, Robert Wise said the four
sub-structure model bridged the gap between apartheid-based
demarcation and new racially integrated structures.

It would allow all Johannesburg residents to share equally in
resources, make service delivery more efficient and bring about
balanced voter distribution.

A late request on Friday morning by the Inkatha Freedom Party
to postpone the court proceedings while it prepared representations
was denied because of a lack of time.

Smallberger said the IFP showed no valid reason for being late
because a directive had been issued for parties wishing to make
submissions to appear in court on Thursday.

Now that the boundary dispute has been settled, parties have to
nominate candidates and sign the already late final voters' role so
that the election process can continue as scheduled.