Local Government Municipal Structures Amendment Draft Bill 2016

The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has published the Local Government Municipal Structures Amendment Draft Bill 2016, and is asking you comment.

The Bill seeks to amend the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998, so as to:
▪ amend the table of contents;
▪ amend the definitions;
▪ amend the criteria for category A municipalities;
▪ remove all references to district management areas;
▪ clarify the date of assumption of office by a councillor; determine that the President must call and set the date for municipal council elections;
▪ allow for extension on the declaration of the result of an election;
▪ require the municipal manager to inform the IEC of ward vacancies;
▪ determine that the MEC call and set the date for by-elections;
▪ clarify the quorum requirements for a meeting of council;
▪ clarify the circumstances for the casting vote of the councillor presiding during a council meeting;
▪ increase the variance of the number of voters in each ward during demarcation;
▪ clarify the allocation of excessive seats in local municipalities;
▪ provide for multiple seats in local municipalities;
▪ amend the timeframe for the municipal manager to inform the IEC of vacancies;
▪ allow for the MEC to inform the IEC of vacancies if the municipal manager fails to do so;
▪ clarify the supplementation of party lists for local municipalities;
▪ provide for multiple seats in district municipalities;
▪ clarify the supplementation of party lists for district municipalities;
▪ amend the heading relating to the filling of vacancies of district councils.

Comments can be emailed to Dr Kevin Naidoo at [email protected] by no later than Saturday, 25 June 2016.