Hopes for the re-establishment of the Umjindi Local Municipality have been dealt a significant blow, leaving residents disappointed and vowing to continue their fight for autonomy.
The announcement was delivered by Mpumalanga’s Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Speed Mashilo, during a tense community meeting held at a local hall. Residents, who had gathered in song hoping for positive news, were told that the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) has formally declined to separate Barberton and the surrounding Umjindi area from the Mbombela Local Municipality. The two were amalgamated in 2016.
According to MEC Mashilo, the Board provided two key reasons for its decision. “The reason they gave us this morning is that one, the amalgamation happened in 2016. The time given is still a very short time. Number two, they believe very strongly that [Mbombela] is stabilizing… and therefore removing [Umjindi] might destabilize it,” Mashilo explained to the community.
This reasoning was met with frustration from residents, who argue that service delivery has collapsed entirely since the merger. A primary concern is a severe and persistent water crisis.
“We are very disappointed since Mbombela has taken over Umjindi. We are really battling and suffering with service delivery, especially water which is a crisis,” one resident stated. “Every evening… we do not have water for the whole evening until the next morning at 5. Water is a necessity and we are battling with this problem for years now.”
Beyond the water issues, residents expressed deep concern over the decay of their town, once known as the “Jewel of the Lowveld.” They cited a rise in crime, drug dealers, potholed roads, and general neglect. “The town is dirty… now it’s a mess of the Lowveld,” another resident lamented.
In response to the crime concerns, Community Safety MEC Vusi Shongwe, who was also present, promised immediate intervention. “The crime that is being committed here is murder and too much circulation of guns. So this is a major problem,” Shongwe said. He pledged to deploy more police personnel and utilize crime intelligence to track down those involved in criminal activities.
While the push for demerger has been stalled for now, the process is not entirely over. Provincial government leaders are expected to convene a meeting with the Municipal Demarcation Board, community leaders, and other stakeholders on September 2nd to map a way forward.
For the residents of Barberton, the fight to restore their standalone municipality continues, fueled by what they describe as years of deteriorating services and neglect under the current administration.