ACTION TO PREVENT ELECTIONS

SAPA 5 Aug

An urgent application has been lodged in the Pretoria Supreme
Court by the Rayton Town Council seeking to prevent the Gauteng
government from proceeding with preparations for local government
elections in the area.

The council wants an interim order to this effect, pending the
outcome of its main application seeking to set aside Gauteng
premier Tokyo Sexwale's decision to establish a transitional
council for Rayton, Cullinan, Refilwe township, Onverwacht and
Zonderwater.

Rayton is situated about 35km east of Pretoria.

The council wants two transitional councils for the area. It
argued that Rayton alone would not be able to carry the financial
burden of its poorer neighbours.

It accused Sexwale of not applying his mind to the matter and
of making decisions based on party political reasoning.

Rayton would not be ready for an election on November 1, the
council said.

In an affidavit, Gauteng's deputy director-general of housing
and local government Enos Ngutshane accused the council of racism.

It was clear the council was not prepared to share its
considerable resources with the people in the surrounding areas,
where new infrastructure and services were so desperately needed,
Ngutshane said.

The council's application was, like two previous applications,
not urgent and should be dismissed with costs.

He added the council had made every effort to use its main
application as a "shield" to prevent the government from taking any
steps in terms of the Transition Act to hold the elections.

The application continues on Wednesday.