More wards announced for 2011 elections

The Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) has increased the number of municipal wards across the country for the 2011 local government elections.

All municipalities will now have wards, with a minimum of four and maximum of 130 wards.

MDB chairperson, Landiwe Mahlangu handed over the final municipal wards to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Wednesday for preparations the elections.

"For the first time over 10 000 council seats, which includes 4277 wards, will be contested in eight metropolitan councils, 45 districts and 231 local municipalities," he said.

He said the handover of the municipal wards to the IEC follows an intensive process of drafting, consultations with communities, stakeholders, consideration of objections and confirmation of ward boundaries over the last ten months.

IEC chairperson Brigalia Bam thanked the MDB for embarking on an inclusive consultative process regarding the new wards boundaries.

"Municipal wards are crucial units of our democracy because they serve as core of ward based development apart of being regarded as units that holds the electorate more accountable to the people. As the IEC, we are ready to and prepared to do what is expected from us," she said.

The term for the current municipal councils expires on 2 March 2011 and elections must be held within 90 days of this date. Municipal elections are held every five years.

The 2011 municipal elections will elect members of the district, metropolitan and local municipal councils, who, in turn, will elect the mayors of the municipalities to office. - BuaNews

2006 Municipal election results