RAYTON COUNCIL WITHDRAWS COURT APPLICATION ON ELECTIONS

PRETORIA Sept 6 Sapa

The town council of Rayton, east of Pretoria, on Wednesday
withdrew an urgent Supreme Court application to prevent the Gauteng
government proceeding with preparations for November's local
government elections in the Cullinan area.

However, the council said it intended to proceed with another
application as soon as possible. It would seek a court order to set
aside premier Tokyo Sexwale's decision of December 8 last year to
establish a transitional council for the area including Rayton,
Cullinan, Refilwe, Onverwacht and Zonderwater.

The council felt there should be two transitional councils for
the area, because Rayton would not be able to carry the financial
burden of its poorer neighbours.

It claimed Sexwale had not applied his mind to the matter and
made the decision on party political reasoning.

Gauteng deputy director-general of housing and local government
Enos Ngutshane, in an affidavit, accused Rayton town council of
racism.

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

The Rayton town council had made every effort to use its main
application as a shield to prevent the Gauteng government taking
any steps to hold the elections, Ngutshane added.