Quinton Mtyala
THE ANC has adopted an earlier call by the party’s Western Cape leadership for a reduction in the number of provinces.
ANC Western Cape chairman Marius Fransman said yesterday his provincial executive was very excited that the party’s national general council (NGC) had affirmed support for a review of the number of provinces and its boundaries at the weekend.
“I’m delighted, as the leader, that we will see a review of provinces, and that the ANC government will engage on that matter to look at the implementation of that review process,” said Fransman.
In his closing remarks to the ANC’s NGC yesterday, President Jacob Zuma said the number of provinces would have to be reviewed to strengthen “the democratic state”.
Fransman added it was essential that the number of provinces be reduced if South Africa was to succeed as a “developmental state”.
“It will require a more rationalised approach to provinces and the power of functions of all provinces will have to be reviewed,” said Fransman.
But DA Western Cape leader Patricia de Lille contended yesterday that the ANC’s talk of reconfiguring provinces and changing boundaries were nothing but a sinister attempt to take power in the Western Cape, after several failed attempts at the ballot box.
“The motivation from the ANC seems not to be thought out, it seems to be subjective.”
Fransman said each province would have a say on the change of boundaries, but this would happen at the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), and not necessarily in each of the nine legislatures.
“There are certain laws that will go through Parliament, where it has to be debated in the NCOP and then to the provinces for discussion… This is nothing different.
“There are certain laws that are concurrent which affect provinces. For those laws to be effective, it has to go through a process of provincial consultation. The NCOP is the vehicle (to consult provinces),” said Fransman.
He conceded, though, that despite this, any move to change South Africa’s provincial boundaries would still require a two-thirds majority vote in the National Assembly.
“We’re satisfied that the issue has been accepted at the NGC, for a discussion and for a review.
“What we require between now and the (ANC’s) policy conference (in 2017), is we need to make sure that government puts the processes of a review in place, the details of which will still be worked out,” said Fransman.
De Lille said the matter of changing the number of provinces was a constitutional issue.
In response, ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs said nine provinces were very costly and a review on the number was needed.
“This is not about politicking, but it is matter that has got to be addressed. Nine legislatures is something that needs revisiting,” Jacobs said.
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