The proposed ward boundary changes in ward 3 of Matjhabeng have been met with strong opposition and objection. If successful, it will affect more than 1 000 voters.
Ward councillor Maxie Badenhorst has launched a petition to strongly oppose the Municipal Demarcation Board’s (MDB) draft proposal to relocate the Hennenman Hoërskool voting district – affecting approximately 1 022 voters – from ward 3 to ward 4, which stretches a distance of nearly 30 km.
“This adjustment would link Hennenman voters to areas like Meloding (Virginia) and surrounding farms, despite significant geographical, social and economic differences,” says Badenhorst.
She says the MDB justifies the move as a means of reducing ward 3’s voter count from 7 063 to within the 6 360 limit.
“However, the proposal, primarily shaped by an ANC-aligned municipal committee, lacked proper consultation with affected communities in Hennenman and Phomolong, raising concerns about political motivation,” says Badenhorst.
Key concerns include the loss of local representation.
For instance, Hennenman voters would be represented by a councillor unfamiliar with regional issues, thereby weakening oversight and service delivery.
“Dividing Hennenman across three wards could fuel job allocation disputes, particularly affecting access to Community Work Programmes (CWP), Expanded Public Works Programmes (EPWP), and solar project employment. This move will also weaken a high-performing ward.”
Ward 3 has an 89% payment rate (March 2025), far above ward 4’s 5%. The change penalises a well-managed ward in favour of a poorly performing one.
“Splitting a tight-knit community will create confusion and inefficiency.”
Badenhorst, as part of her campaign to save the community, has suggested alternatives.
To balance voter numbers without undermining governance, the following changes were proposed:
■ Shift 550 voters from the Bahale Secondary School to the Leratong Day Care in ward 2.
■ Move the Beginsel voting station (98 voters) to ward 1.
■ Reassign the Whites area (about 150 voters) to ward 4.
This plan reduces the number of voters by 703, meeting the MDB’s threshold while preserving community cohesion and ensuring effective service delivery.
Submissions for the petition closed on 16 June, with the final submission to the MDB due by the end of June.
“The DA and ward 3 residents urge the MDB to adopt the community’s proposal – or provide clear justification if rejected.
“This process must be guided by fairness, transparency, and logic, ensuring ward 3 is not unfairly sidelined,” concludes Badenhorst.
