The African National Congress is to convene a summit on the controversial demarcation of the Merafong municipality in the NorthWest.Spokeswoman Jessie Duarte said on Tuesday: "This follows a visit to Khutsong today by ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe, who held a meeting with local community leaders on issues raised in a memorandum presented to the ANC earlier in the year."

The summit, scheduled for September 13-14, would be attended by representatives of the ANC, the SACP and Cosatu in the North West and Gauteng, the Merafong Demarcation Forum, and representatives of the department of provincial and local government and the two affected provincial governments.The summit would develop a proposal for consideration by the ANC national executive committee, she said.

Khutsong, west of Johannesburg, falls within the Merafong region which had straddled Gauteng and the North West. In 2005 it was demarcated to fall within North West.Residents were angry about this, not only because they believed Gauteng could offer them better services, but because they said they had not been properly consulted before the demarcation went through Parliament.

They went on the rampage, burning houses belonging to councillors,the clinic, library and community hall.
The backlash led to a boycott of the 2006 local government elections in the area, with only 130 people casting their votes, despite attempts by then ANC chairman Mosiuoa Lekota to calm the situation.

Freedom Day and Youth Day were not 'honoured' in the area. Residents gathered at the local stadium planning their next move saying they had nothing to celebrate on Freedom Day.

Residents challenged the demarcation in the Constitutional Court. Although some of the six separate judgments were critical of the way the demarcation had been handled, the majority ruling held that the court could not become involved in the matter.

A powerful ANC delegation led by Mantashe met community leaders on June 25. Community leaders described the meeting as a 'breakthrough'."At least we have people who can listen and understand us," said Jomo Mogale, spokesman for the Merafong Demarcation Forum, after the June meeting.

At the time residents said they wanted the meeting to resolve that they should return to 'wealthy' Gauteng than to stay in 'poorer' North West.

The ANC delegation will report back to the community in two weeks, after tabling its report before the NEC.