Cross-Boundary Municipalities Bill: voting; International Property Tax Institute Conference: discussion

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE
21 June 2000
CROSS-BOUNDARY MUNICIPALITIES BILL [B 37-2000]; INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY TAX INSTITUTE (IPTI) CONFERENCE

These are the minutes as provided by the committee secretary, Mr Edgar de Koker:

MINUTES
1. Cross-Boundary Municipalities Bill [B 37-2000]
Mr Louw briefed the Committee on the objects of the Bill. He stated that the Municipal Demarcation Board indicated the desirability for certain municipal areas to extend across provincial boundaries. In order for such cross-boundary municipalities to be determined, national legislation is required to authorise the respective provincial executives to establish a municipality within that municipal area.

Mr Louw indicated that KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape have not been able to reach agreement.

A query was raised as to what would happen where two provinces could not reach agreement on the cross-boundary municipality. Mr Louw responded that in terms of section 90(5) of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998, the Demarcation Board "must redetermine the boundaries of the municipal area in such a way that no boundary extends across a provincial boundary.". The Demarcation Board will, in the case of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, redetermine such boundaries.

The chairperson read:
Motion of desirability, agreed to.
Preamble, agreed to.
Clause 1, agreed to.
Clause 2, agreed to.
Clause 3, agreed to.
Schedule, agreed to.

The Cross-Boundary Municipalities Bill [B 37B-2000] (sec 75) was agreed to.

2. International Property Tax Institute (IPTI) Conference
The Chairperson indicated that the IPTI third annual conference will be held on 21 - 23 June 2000. The registration fee will be paid from the Committee's budget. Members are encouraged to attend as the Property Rates Bill will also be discussed.

The meetings adjourned.

Present:
Mr M Bhabha, Chairperson

Eastern Cape
Ms PCP Majodina

Gauteng
Ms RA Ndzanga

KwaZulu-Natal
Mr PA Matthee
Prince BZ Zulu

Mpumalanga
Mr M Bhabha

Northern Cape
Mr M Sulliman
Mr. J Horne

Northern Province
Mr. MI Makoela

North West
Mr. PDN Maloyi

Western Cape
Mr. C Ackermann
Ms N Ntwanambi

Apologies: Ms C-S Botha, Mr. LG Lever, and Mr. KDS Durr.