National Assembly Cape Town: 16 May 2007  

Madame Speaker,

The IFP marched in support of the people of Matatiele on 8 May to express our solidarity with a community whose struggle to remain part of KwaZulu Natal, despite the government's wishes to transfer the region to the Eastern Cape, is clearly right. We will continue to express our support in any way we can.

The IFP is fully aware that the people of Matatiele are tired of non-delivery and of being sidelined and that for these reasons they want to give up their Eastern Cape connection in favour of being reincorporated into KwaZulu Natal. The people of Matatiele must be allowed to choose where they want to belong.

There is a good case - pragmatic, economic and otherwise - for granting them their wish. The people of Matatiele are trailing behind in receiving basic municipal services. As a result, development in many areas has come to a halt. Furthermore, the lawmakers in Pietermaritzburg are only two hours away compared with the seven hours it takes to reach Bisho.

The IFP views the fact that the people of Matatiele mobilised against the wayward decision imposed on them from above by a petition and by public protest as a triumph of civil society. Like them, the IFP believes that the process set in motion by the government against the express wishes of the people was reminiscent of apartheid-era forced removals.

The IFP appreciated the move by the Constitutional Court, which, in response to an appeal from the people of Matatiele, ruled invalid the constitutional amendment and the subsequent legislation that sought to change the boundaries between the two provinces.

The IFP cannot support the government's efforts to redraw the provincial borders against the will of the residents concerned. We stand by the people of Matatiele.

Thank you.