The Limpopo High Court on Friday dismissed Vuwani residents’ bid to have their area excluded from a new municipality.

Limpopo Judge President Ephraim Makgoba said the Municipal Demarcation Board had acted within its mandate when determining new boundaries, which encompassed Vuwani, about 65km east of Louis Trichardt.

Residents argued that they were not properly consulted when their area was moved from the Makhado municipality to form part of a new municipality.

Lawyers for Vuwani residents previously accused former co-operative governance minister Pravin Gordhan and his provincial MEC Makoma Makhurupetje of delaying public hearings into the matter.

Allen Liversage, for the residents, had argued that the MDB’s decision was not implemented in accordance with Gordhan’s recommendations, which did not call for a new municipality.