By Bongani Majola
THE contest for the leadership of ward 60 in the City of Johannesburg, which covers the whole CBD, Braamfontein, Braampark, Newtown and Sunnyside, has been thrown wide open with the first municipal by-elections in 2003 scheduled take place next week.
The by-election will replace former councillor Monty Masilo, who passed away in November last year after a short illness, according to Region 8's communications officer Nozipho Ndaba.
In terms of the Local Government Municipal Structures Act, the municipal manager, after consultation with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), must set a date for the by-elections, which must be held within 90 days of a vacancy in a ward council.
The city's municipal electoral officer Abel Manthoko laid down procedures for the by-election in a statement on Friday. "To qualify for voting, the electorate are required to present a green bar-coded ID book or a temporary ID obtained from the Department of Home Affairs and they have to be registered in the Ward 60 voters' roll," the statement said.
Registration took place last year, said manager for ward councillor support Maggie Govinden, "we are inviting all residents of Ward 60 to come and vote for their local councillor."
Contesting the by-election will be the African National Congress' Gcinumuzi Mahlatshana, Christian Democratic Party's Lebese Moleli, United Democratic Movement's Mzamo Satsha and Mlondeni Dindi of the Workers Party.
Conducted by the IEC, the by-elections will take place on Wednesday 22 January between 7 am and 9 pm. Voting will take place at the seven following polling stations: Landrost Hotel at the corner of Plein and Twist Streets, the Rissik Street Post Office at corner Rissik and President streets.
Other polling stations are the ground floor of the Metropolitan Centre building in Loveday Street in Braamfontein, MuseuMAfricA at 121 Bree Street in Newtown, I H Harris Primary School at the corner of Beit and Davids Streets in Doornfontein, St Endas High School at number 12 Peterson Street in Joubert Park as well as the Inner City People's Centre at corner Loveday and Bree streets in central Johannesburg.
