Durban - Ethekwini’s salary bill will increase significantly by 2016 as the number of municipal wards and councillors swells.
All 43 other municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal will see an increase in wards.
This was announced on Wednesday during a public presentation on the municipal ward delimitation process for 2013 to 2015 at Durban City Hall.
It is proposed that by 2016 the number of wards would increase from 103 to 117, while the number of councillors would rise from 206 to 234 (there are two councillors per ward).
There is the possibility that ward numbers could increase further as the process continues.
A councillor currently gets an annual package of R430 000, a cellphone and a car allowance, a laptop and a R1 000 Telkom World-call card.
Lize Mazibuko, Geographic Information System specialist for the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB), said the reason for the increase in the number of wards was to handle the increasing number of registered voters during elections.
The number of registered voters in each ward may not vary by more than 15 percent from the norm. The norm is determined by dividing the total number of registered voters (in a municipality) by the number of wards in a municipality.
“The ward delimitation process can only succeed with the support and involvement of all stakeholders. The MDB pledges its availability and commitment to work with and through provincial and local government at all levels,” she said.
City mayor James Nxumalo said the process had already started in various municipalities, as they were gearing up for the 2016 elections.
The city’s executive committee had already visited four wards that would in future fall under the municipality.
“We are eager and looking forward to the process. The number of wards will increase in most metros, and there will be an increase of councillors in all municipalities,” he said.
MF councillor Patrick Pillay said it was true that some wards were bigger than others, and the demarcation was necessary.
However, when the process had been finalised, the city would have financial challenges with the higher salary bill.
“The national government will need to assist with the salaries of the additional councillors,” he said.
However, Pillay said extra wards would improve service delivery.
IFP councillor Mdu Nkosi said they were not against the demarcation, as it meant that some previously disadvantaged communities would now be developed.
Nkosi said they wanted justice to be done when the process was over.
“Since the number of councillors is going to increase, the funding that we get from national government should also increase,” he said.
He said the new councillors should be capable people who were able to bring about development in their communities.
DA councillor Heinz de Boer said his party was waiting to see which wards would be affected.
It looked like it was going to be an “extremely tricky” process.
“We hope that the board gets this right,” he said.
In Umhlathuze Municipality (Richards Bay), the number of wards would increase from 34 to 35, and councillors from 68 to 70.
In Umsunduzi (Pietermaritzburg), the wards would increase from 37 to 43, while the number of councillors would jump from 73 to 86.
In Umdoni (Scottburgh area), the number of wards would increase from 16 to 17, and councillors from 31 to 34
In Newcastle, the wards would increase from 31 to 34, and councillors from 61 to 68.
The Mercury