FINALISATION OF THE PROVINCIAL POSITION OF GROBLERSDAL

MEDIA STATEMENT ON DEPUTY MINISTER FOR PROVINCIAL AFFAIRS AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MR MOHAMMED VALLI MOOSA'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE FINALISATION OF THE PROVINCIAL POSITION OF GROBLERSDAL

Issued by: Deputy Minister for Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development

In the interest of reaching a more legitimate and acceptable solution the Premiers of the Northern Transvaal and the Eastern Transvaal, requested Deputy Minister Mohammed Valli Moosa to investigate and make recommendations regarding the future of Groblersdal district.

The Groblersdal district is presently part of the Eastern Transvaal Province, however, dispute has existed over the past year on whether it should remain in the Eastern Transvaal or be transferred to the Northern Transvaal province.

Before he arrived at his decision the Deputy Minister chaired a public meeting which was held in the hall of the Agricultural Union in Groblersdal on 26 May 1995 and sixty two organisations, interest groups and individuals made verbal and written submissions. The public meeting made it possible for the Deputy Minister to take into consideration the view of those communities who do not have the ability or support structures to submit written submissions. He also considered additional written submission received from numerous organisations.

From the submissions received by the Deputy Minister the following important points were made:

• Groblersdal as a town should not be separated from the adjacent communities or villages.
• The deletion of the "apartheid" created boundaries is unavoidable.
• The non-proclamation of the Groblersdal Transitional Local Council is mainly due to obstacles linked to the border dispute.
• The dispute is not along mere party political lines. All the major parties are divided within themselves on this issue.

Having considered all submissions and facts placed before him the Deputy Minister has advised the Premiers of the two provinces that in his view it would be in the best interest of all concerned that the Groblersdal district be transferred to the Northern Transvaal province.

He has also furnished the two premiers with a draft resolution in this regard to the placed before the two provincial legislatures for their consideration.

Issued by the Deputy Minister for Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development.

CAPE TOWN
7 June 1995

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